Performance Writing Play in 3 Acts
 | “Pillow Lava”, “The Komodo Dragon”, “Trailer”. Enter body. Enter word. A crazy monologue, a song in English and Greek, a schizo-interview. A dive into the deep waters of identity, its formulating factors and forms. A surprising choice for the short list of the Tassos Papandreou Young Creators’ Competition, bringing together amazing people. |
The first play I ever wrote and staged. A creative outburst, an investigation of content and form, with subtle as definitive contributions by all creative participants.
Play-writing in this instance was tightly interwoven with stage direction, choreography, song writing, interview techniques. Physical stages, relations and reactions were translated into movement, sounds, lighting and back to words. It was messy and intensely creative. A lot thanks to people that were interested in a play, rather weird at that time. Staging that was more often than not, so collaborative that one must credit contributing artists as co-directors really. Back then, I knew what I wanted and was experimenting with people that were inspired by this unusual dramaturgy proposal. Later I found out that it would actually be a perfect native of Performance Writing and body/word.
“1975” is about the core and the boundaries informing identity. All acts explore a different take on the subject matter. “Pillow Lava” looks at personality, as lava coming out in the sea, underwater. “The Komodo Dragon” at sexuality as a wild, deadly beast. “Trailer” at conceptualization and commodification as a limited modus operandi. All the above in a state of dynamic, ever changing equilibrium. Bear in mind “1975” really should be performed by many people at once, rather like a bespoke chorus, instead of how I directed it back then, one person per act. Live and learn, or create and evolve. Dare to stage it yourselves? I’d love that.
Trivia: The project was presented by Aud Ray Inc (Periergo Salahi A.E.) an alias I have used since for independent, self funded work.
A new version of The Komodo Dragon Song was performed individually at the Greek Choreographers Panorama in the ACS Arts Centre in 2004.
Credits
Text & Direction: Christos Polymenakos, Movement / Choreography: pillow lava: Mariela Nestora, The Komodo Dragon Song: Tonia Pastra / Kinitiras Dance Spectacle, Trailer: Valia Papachristou & Fotis Nikolaou / x-it dancetheatre company, Original Soundtrack: Dimitris Maramis, Singing: Fenia Papadodima, Sound Design: Studio Synchresis, Light Design, Christina Thanassoula, Scenography: Myrto Anastasopoulou & Marialena Lapata, Costumes: Lina Motsiou, Make-up artist: Evi Zafeiropoulou, Assistant to Director: Xenia Alexiou, Production Assistant: Dimitris Mammis, Set construction: Ioakem Sidiropoulos, Publicity: pidiktoulis & Stefania Roubi.
Poster photo: Rinetta Valsamou, Performance photos: Eleni Taxeri
Performed by: Jenny Stavropoulou, Tonia Pastra, Yiannis Pediaditakis, Xenia Alexiou, Ermina Gerardi, Spiros Bertsatos, Konstantinos Passas, Evgenia Sigalou.
Sponsored by: Studio Synchressis, Boarding Pass, With the kind support of Highlights, Arts and Culture Magazine, Media Sponsors: ERT (National Television and Radio, Time Out Athens)
Premier: 4/6/2004, Studio Ilissia – Minos Volanakis, Tassos Papandreou Young Creators’ Competition, Award Short List