In Patras, at the Pantheon theater, on Sunday, March 31, the theatrical performance “Cleaning lady”, of Antonis Tsipianitis Atherinos.
The play
A woman searching for her truth. Scared. Because he only hears ‘No’ since he was a child. And she has believed that she sees an inexorable ‘No’ everywhere – in the eyes of all people but also in her own mirror. But she doesn’t give up, she fights in every way, sometimes touching and sometimes touchingly comical, to make life say to her, even once, the longed-for ‘Yes’. Until he realizes that in order for life to say ‘Yes’ to you, you must first say it to yourself.
The director of the show, Alexandros Liakopoulos, chose for the role of Pelagia the multi-talented Antonis Papailia (‘Lola’) who with love, respect, sensitivity, humor and tenderness, uniquely interprets the heroine of the monologue, uniting women and men in his person , as Pelagia’s ‘journey’ is above all the ‘journey’ of every human soul that seeks its true destination in this world. And the soul has no gender.
Note from the author Antonis Tsipianitis Atherinou:
I inspired the ‘Cleaner’ when I was working at Petros Kostopoulos’ Imako (I was editor-in-chief at Down town, five wonderful years).
I watched the cleaners coming and going on the floor cleaning, emptying baskets and I wondered what they would think of all that they saw and heard every day: The biggest names in the art world entering the publisher’s office, the top models ‘parading’ for casting for photo shoots fashion, and us talking regarding the designer clothes and accessories we had bought by charging our credit cards like crazy…
Until the crisis came, we lost our jobs, found ourselves in debt to the banks, the phones rang all day to pay, we sold everything of value to survive, and found ourselves poorer than the cleaners we envied so much they had a paycheck running, and their fridge full.
Initially, I was thinking of making it a novel – I was writing novels at the time, I was afraid to tackle the theater, I considered it very difficult. But when I realized that I was also successful in plays, I said I would make her the ‘Cleaner’ in a play.
And thus Pelagia was born.
I ‘got’ the name from a film by Rena Vlachopoulos in which she plays the cleaner. I thought it was called Pelagia there. Then I remembered that was her name in the movie where she played the seamstress. But I liked it and kept it. I loved her very much (and) my Pelagia – my only comic monologue – and I enjoyed the ‘journey’ with her. I wish you too, because inside all of us there is a Pelagia who constantly wonders if she belongs to the ‘No’ or the ‘Yes’ of life.
Director’s Note:
The value and weight of a work is shown by how timeless it is, how well it fits every era and by the new meanings you can find, every time you deal with it. When, years ago, I directed for the first time the “Cleaner” by Antonis Tsipianitis Atherinos, I characterized it as the work that advocates “the power of man to turn life’s ‘No’ into triumphant ‘Yes'”.
Reading the text once more this summer, just before we started rehearsals and years having passed since the previous performance, the phrase that came to mind was “it’s never too late for any man to make a dream come true”.
With the above phrase as our guiding principle, we started to build a new show, with the same words, with new meanings, like a new child. And I am sure that this child will grow up and find his way, find new friends – viewers, blossom and travel to every corner of Greece, to give love, laughter, emotion and light to the hearts of people, in from the soul and body of Antonis Papaelias, who, apart from talent and passion, clothed Pelagia with ethics and respect. I confess that Alexandros Pitosoglou’s idea to have Antonis Papailias play the ‘Cleaner’ was ideal, giving a new breath to the play and a new, from me, perspective on the performance.
I am sure that if in a few years I tackle the ‘Cleaner’ once more by Antonis Tsipianitis Atherinos, I will find a new phrase to accompany the rehearsals. Because I think this wonderful work is suitable for every era and has something to say to all people, and this ‘journey’ is made more intense by your fellow travelers – the more worthy and suitable, the more messages you can give.
And I believe that this ‘trip’ will give us a lot.
Coefficients:
Performed by Antonis Papailias
Text: Antonis Tsipianitis Atherinos
Directed by: Alexandros Liakopoulos
Costumes: Nora Ponti
Costume Design: Theodora Vestarchi
Screenplay: David Negrin
Stage designer’s assistant: Michalis Karamichalis
Music editing: Alexandros Liakopoulos
Poster photography: Ioanna Tzetzoumi
Photos: Angeliki Kokkové
Styling: Michalis Tsoukas, Marios Kypriotis
Makeup: Panagiotis Pantos
Viewing – contact: Markella Kazamia
Production: Erofili Productions
The photo shoot took place in the Atelier of Vassilis Zoulias, with his own creations.
Jewelry: Pearls Center Jewelry House.
Information:
Pantheon Theatre: Gounari 34, 26221, Patra, Achaia
Performances: Sunday 31/3 at 20:15
Tickets: A’ Zone 15€, B’ Zone 12€
Contact phone number: 261 032 5778 or 2107012123
Presale:
& at the Pantheon Theater box office
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