{"id":80,"date":"2021-10-28T09:13:02","date_gmt":"2021-10-28T09:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/24\/?p=80"},"modified":"2021-12-30T10:24:37","modified_gmt":"2021-12-30T10:24:37","slug":"re-visiting-greek-national-narrative-through-devised-theatre-practices-the-case-of-michael-marmarinos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/24\/re-visiting-greek-national-narrative-through-devised-theatre-practices-the-case-of-michael-marmarinos\/","title":{"rendered":"Re-visiting Greek National Narrative through Devised Theatre Practices: The Case of Michael Marmarinos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Constantina Ziropoulou<\/strong>*<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abstract<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Director and actor Michael Marmarinos is an iconic figure of the avant-garde Greek theatre of recent decades. One of the most prominent Greek theatre directors active since the 1980s, Marmarinos has been associated with subversive performances of ancient Greek and classical European drama. As a director, he has also worked with Noh theatre, modern and contemporary Greek and international theatre and is renowned for his devised theatre works. Marmarinos\u2019 artistic contributions in devised theatre have been particularly noteworthy, both because he was the first Greek director to reject the notion of the author as authority, foregrounding devising techniques and creating theatrical texts by means of a collective method, and because his performances utilize a distinctive, highly original stage style, especially by Greek standards. The present paper focuses on Marmarinos\u2019 devised performances, National Anthem, A Theorem About Togetherness (2002), 2004-Olympic Games, Instructions Manual (2005), Hairdressers\/Metapolitefsi (2020)<\/font>, expounding the reasons these performances constituted a type of powerful intervention in Greek theatre, in terms of both stage practice and themes and ideological content. 

Keywords<\/strong>: Michael Marmarinos, devised theatre, Greek theatre, national narrative, Chorus, improvisation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Context <\/strong>
The Place of the Devised Theatre in the Greek Theatrical Landscape<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Devised theatre (theatro tis epinoesis <\/em>in Greek) has appeared more recently in Greece as compared to other countries. Whereas devised practice was already widespread in several European countries by the 1960s, in Greece this type of theatre first appeared in the early 1990s, becoming more popular at the beginning of the twenty-first century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Director Michael Marmarinos. Photo: Web<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Due to a number of historical and social parameters, theatrical experimentations dealing with the \u201chere and now\u201d of society and attempting to address questions of the postmodern world could not take hold in Greece during an earlier era. Thus, for several decades, modern Greek theatre remained attached to its realist origins and to a purely text-centered approach. The accession of Greece to the European Community in 1981, combined with the improved economic, social and political status of the country, led to the establishment of state subsidies for theatres and an increase in the number of theatre companies, stages and drama schools, bringing Greek artists closer to their counterparts in other parts of Europe. All the above led to the emergence of an alternative theatre in Greece, mirroring respective aesthetic trends in Europe at the time (Patsalidis and Stavrakopoulou 10\u201312; Sidiropoulou 121; Hager-Fragkou 140; Tsatsoulis, Signs of Writing<\/em> 43\u201394).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As compared to Europe and the United States, where devised theatre emerged in a very specific sociopolitical context, with the strong politicization of society and the defense of the rights of collectivities (Oddey 2; Heddon and Milling 96), in Greece these acutely political, radical and activist tendencies were noticeably absent. In particular, devised theatre in Greece appeared during a period of ostensible economic stability, introduced primarily as a form of onstage experimentation and a response of smaller theatre companies and a new generation of artists to the mainstream theatre of great leading actors, famous directors and high-budget productions that were more commercial commodity and less artistic performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Marmarinos\u2019 Artistic Identity<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Michael Marmarinos (b. 1956) studied acting, directing and biology, specializing in neurobiology. Through Marmarinos\u2019 initiative, the Diplous Eros theatre company was founded in 1984, with productions directed by Marmarinos. The repertoire included plays by Strindberg, Heiner M\u00fcller, Botho Strauss and Greek writer Georgios Veltsos. Already in these early performances, audiences and critics alike were intrigued. In 1997, the Diplous Eros company, renamed Theseum Ensemble,<\/em> was housed in an imposing, stone building in an underground area in downtown Athens and gradually became a hub of cultural activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actors Amalia Moutousi and Rena Andreadaki, journalist Eleni Petasi and musician Dimitris Kamarotos were among the founding members of the company, and actors were hired according to the needs of each performance. In contrast to devised groups outside of Greece, particularly during the early phases when artists lived in a communal environment and sought equal opportunities in both art and life (Berghaus, 14\u201318), in the case of the Theseum Ensemble company, Marmarinos was the main guiding force behind the entire endeavor, a project that ultimately bears the hallmarks of its creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overseeing his company, subsidized by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture for many years, Marmarinos directed a number of performances which encompassed a rich canon of both classical and contemporary plays. Although his postmodern aesthetics developed gradually over time, his alternative vision was already apparent in his first directorial works. Many of his performances, including devised productions, were highly acclaimed in Greece as well as at international festivals around the world, in countries such as Austria, Belgium, Venezuela, France, Germany, Georgia, Spain, Italy, South Korea, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Serbia, to name but a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marmarinos has also worked with the National Theatre of Greece and other state institutions, both as an actor and director, and several of his performances have been presented at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus and other ancient theatres. He currently holds the position of Associate Professor, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and also serves as Artistic Director of the 2023 Elevsis European Capital of Culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Marmarinos has employed devising methods in several of his performances, the following three productions have been cited as exemplars of the genre: National Anthem, a Theorem About Togetherness <\/em>(2002), 2004-Olympic Games, An Invitation to Dance <\/em>(2005), and the recent Hairdressers \/ Metapolitefsi [Post-Re-Democratization Era], Jiang-sin-bi-sin\/imagine my heart as yours <\/em>(2020). As will be explained in this paper, these performances, although originally performed at different times, are closely connected by a common theme that is linked to issues of national narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Anthem, a Theorem About Togetherness<\/em><\/strong> (2002)<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Marmarinos was the first director in Greece to follow systematically the practice of devising. In such an approach, the stage text is predicated upon a basic theme or starting point enriched with material drawn from research, interviews, literary texts, songs, photos, videos, newspaper documents, fragments of complex art and pop culture; views of the company members are integrated through the inclusion of their reflections, narratives, memories, and other personal concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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National Hymn, <\/em>Thission Theatre, 2001. Photo: Courtesy of Michael Marmarinos<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The staging of National Anthem <\/em>is a milestone in Marmarinos\u2019 artistic career and contemporary Greek theatre overall, insofar as it introduced numerous experimental elements and abolished established theatrical conventions. The text itself encompassed several features of post-dramatic theatre (Tsatsoulis, \u201cThe End of Grand Narratives\u201d 156; Patsalidis 27). The fragmentation of meaning, the collage of words and stories, the rejection of linear narratives, the fusion of disparate elements, the constant expansion of action and the lack of closure are all discernible in this work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In National Anthem<\/em>, the physical distance between the stage and the stalls is removed; the audience find themselves on stage, seated around large tables arranged in the shape of the Greek letter pi<\/em>, eating chickpea soup and drinking wine as the actors served them. This practice, although already widely used abroad (Stourna 14\u201316), introduced deipnography <\/em>(the transformation of the stage into a supper) in Greek theatre, thus transforming the audience into an object of gaze, a spectacle, while simultaneously enhancing communication with other spectators and incorporating theatre into the very fabric of reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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National Hymn, <\/em>Thission Theatre, 2001. Photo: Courtesy of Michael Marmarinos<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The subtitle of the performance, A Theorem About Togetherness<\/em>, carries further implications insofar as the theatrical, represented by the actors, and the social, represented by the audience, are coreferential and thus form a collective chorus. Significantly, the director aimed to create a chorus distinct from the chorus of ancient tragedy, borrowing elements of postmodernity to focus on a society comprised of individualities (Tsitsiridis 45).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accordingly, at the end of a performance, actors invite the audience to dance with them, jointly building a collective body that represents the body politic of a city or nation. The prevailing festive mood generates a sense of togetherness, of belonging together experimentally, and it questions established ways of consolidating a sense togetherness, such as a performance of the national anthem (Zaroulia, \u201cCosmopolitanism\u201d 377). In this way, the national anthem is visualized and takes on physical proportions as a symbol that reinforces the bonds among the members of a community (2014: 206).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The basis of National Anthem<\/em> rests on empirical data from a questionnaire survey, gathered from among the cast by Marmarinos, and interview data from mostly anonymous individuals collected by the actors. During rehearsals, the basic material is further enriched with numerous Greek and foreign literary sources, thereby accentuating the intertextuality of the performance (Frantzi 637\u201338). The main performers include six actors, a journalist who asks questions constantly, and a DJ who intervenes in the main events; collectively, they participate in an unexpected game that pushes the limits of theatricality. The performance features dancing, singing and the performers\u2019 spontaneous expression and physicality, which suggests their emotional states. The actors do not imitate, nor do they portray roles; instead, they offer themselves on stage, serving more as narrators. This aspect of the performance is central to post-dramatic theatre (Lehmann 109) and is reminiscent of Brecht\u2019s distancing effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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National Hymn, <\/em>Thission Theatre, 2001. Photo: Courtesy of Michael Marmarinos<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

National Anthem <\/em>raises questions about nation, identity, patriotism and the significance of the relationship between modern Greece and the national anthem as an emblem of identity. The anthem is utilized as a supreme myth, insofar as it recalls experiences for everyone, while also problematizing the concept of nation and the importance and function of equivalent emblems in today\u2019s multicultural world. Drawn from testimonies and the company\u2019s collected material, the text both reaffirms and deconstructs the national symbol, as it is linked invariably with personal experience of a diverse community. For some individuals, the national anthem is a simple song or a deception; for others, it constitutes a product of violence and power (National Anthem<\/em> 69\u201375). Clearly, the director is aware of a need to revisit Greek identity in a seemingly prosperous period which has retroactively proven to be illusive. Notably during this period, Greece experienced a great influx of migrants for the first time in its modern history, as its population until that point had been largely homogeneous in terms of language and religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, the role of the national anthem as a symbol of national identity is challenged in the performance, yet the concept of nation <\/em>itself is also called into question. That is, the main question raised by the performance is the following: What is the new meaning that could be generated nowadays by the basic idea behind the symbol?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A: A few years from now nations may not exist anymore. Should an anthem be composed in the future, it would have to bring together the Chinese people and the Brazilians, the woman next door to me, the community of citizens who should all have an equal voice, all standing united against the unjust events unfolding in the world as we speak.<\/p>National Anthem<\/span> 83<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Although the performance employs the national anthem as a starting point, the self-referential dimension of the production is made explicit through relevant questions, thoughts and concerns regarding narration, actors, audience participation and theatricality; this self-reflexivity pervades all of Marmarinos\u2019 devised theatre performances.  For example, \u201c<\/em>What is theatrical writing for a group of contemporary people as it evolves through the rehearsal process? What is the relationship between the theatre and the city? . . . How is reality (re)written through acting?\u201d (National Anthem<\/em> 33)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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