Over 70 coffee shops in Thessaloniki offered to host this new endeavour by the NTNG and since April 16th two familiar personas, Solon and Loukas –This One and That One, the heroes of Kostas Mourselas well-known play invade the city’s coffee shops under the direction of Giannis Rigas and come in contact with the audience.
As NTNG Artistic Manager Mr. Sotiris Hatzakis points out, “Theatre in Coffee shops’ is part of a series of actions by the NTNG which aim at bringing theatre persons in immediate contact with those people who do not frequent the theatre halls. The interest in this case lies in the possibility of Theatre itself to visit the audience instead of waiting for the audience to visit the theatre halls. The function of theatre art in the citizens’ everyday living may spark their interest and pleasantly surprise them, offering entertainment without a price, in places where such practice is not common.
Solon and Loukas, two emblematic heroes from This One and That One by Kostas Mourselas show up unexpectedly, converse, dream and comment our living conditions reminding us that those who conscientiously ‘abstain from “the dangerous habits” of mass production and consumption may become the models to follow towards another kind of freedom. The freedom leading to man’s inner land”
Writer’s note
First of all, I would like to congratulate Mr. Hatzakis because finally a Head of the NTNG has realized that we should no longer wait for audiences to become addicted to theatre-going but it is necessary for theatre to get used to going to people.
And indeed, why not have theatre plays in the streets? In coffee shops? At schools, in churches or even village squares? With flexible performances and theatre plays, I can’t see why not. Why shouldn’t we lean over towards our audience with the best of plays and performances we can get? As for me, who believes that Theatre is the Queen of Arts –the only kind of art that has such a tremendous contact with the audience- this idea seems wise and I consider the effort following extremely important. Also, I would like to thank Mr. Hatzakis for choosing a play of mine, which is indeed quite flexible to be able to be presented anywhere.
This One and That One comprises a series of 132 TV one-acts- you will see four or five of them- in which the two heroes are by principle the ever-outcasts of life. The rags they wear reflect our own moral bareness, that is why they dare remain outside the walls and the goods contemporary society of abundance offers them, supposedly to be able to retain at least their internal freedom: for as long as they can take it.
Thank you for the effort. I wish the director and actors nothing but the very best of luck.
Kostas Mourselas
Director’s Note
With two heroes which transfer to today’s Greek stage and with the subversive texts of Kostas Mourselas as our vehicle, the NTNG invades the city’s cafes aiming at coming in contact with the vibrant audience of Thessalonici. Sometimes with subtle humour, others under the satire of contemporary reality as well as the funny incidents of everyday living, This One and That One gives us the chance to come closer, change theatrical stereotypes and sharpen our perception of what surrounds us.
Solon and Loukas stroll around our city and comment, laugh at, satirize, look into the essence of things, become sarcastic towards others and themselves. They talk about all wrong in every field.
Beggars? Lazybones? Life losers? Philosophers? Mere citizens? Kostas Mourselas’ heroes seem to have been here since the beginning of time. Descendants of distinguished theatre heroes, local and universal at the same time they represent deeper thoughts, expectations and dreams.
It is not coincidental that they premiered forty years ago on Greek TV and still remain original, equally fresh and up-to-date.
Giannis Rigas
Daily in selected coffee shops around the city.