Elli Papadimitriou’s Koinos Logos (Common Discourse) – Narrating Collective Trauma on Stage

Authors

  • Constantina Ziropoulou University of Patras Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37130/sythf992

Keywords:

Oral history, Theatre of the Real, reception of historical events, testimonies, Vangelis Theodoropoulos, Elli Papadimitriou, Koinos Logos (Common Discourse), refugees, Asia Minor, Athens Festival

Abstract

This article delves into Koinos Logos (Common Discourse) by Elli Papadimitriou, along with its highly acclaimed stage production at the 2013 Athens Festival, directed by Vangelis Theodoropoulos, which significantly influenced contemporary Greek theatre. The issue raises several challenges that extend beyond the performance itself and into the dramaturgy, as the work is based on oral testimonies of female refugees from Asia Minor, collected by Papadimitriou in the aftermath of the Asia Minor Catastrophe. The study focuses on both textual and performance analysis, with particular emphasis 
on the directorial approach. It contends that the director successfully navigated the challenges posed by the narrative-driven text by relying on certain key concepts. These included emphasizing emotional resonance over the depiction of violence, engaging the audience’s imagination in a manner evocative of ancient tragedy, foregrounding the element of chorality, and intertwining personal and collective narratives. Ultimately, these choices imbued the entire endeavour with a sense of ahistoricity, which is, to a great extent, inherent in the oral testimonies themselves.  

Author Biography

  • Constantina Ziropoulou, University of Patras

    Constantina Ziropoulou is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Theatre Studies of the University of Patras. She holds a B.A. in Classics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, a Master’s degree in Drama from the University of Essex, UK, an M. Phil. from the Theatre Department of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and a PhD in Theatre Studies from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2007). She was a scholar at the University PARIS III, Sorbonne Nouvelle (Études Théâtrales) in 2004. Her research interests include postwar and contemporary theatre, as well as the reception of ancient Greek drama in modern times. She is the author of two books on Modern Greek theatre, published in 2016 and 2018, respectively. She has been a member of the International Playwrights Forum of the I.T.I. since 2010 and served on the board of directors of the Hellenic Centre of the I.T.I. from 2004 to 2010. She worked as a theatre expert at the Hellenic Theatre Museum. She taught various theatre courses at the Theatre Departments of Aristotle University, the University of Peloponnese, the Hellenic Open University, and the Open University of Cyprus. For over a decade, she has also been a Professor of Dramaturgy at the Athens Conservatory for Dramatic Art.

References

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Koinos Logos (Common Discourse) by Elli Papadimitriou (2013) Directed by Vangelis Theodoropoulos, [Athens Festival]. https://www.athinorama.gr/theatre/performance/koinos_logos-10028406/

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Published

2024-12-18

Issue

Vol. 29 No. 2 (2024): Issues of Reception in Greek Theatre / AI and Interactive Technologies in Art Practices, Research, and Education / Film and Theatre Pedagogy

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Ziropoulou, C. (2024). Elli Papadimitriou’s Koinos Logos (Common Discourse) – Narrating Collective Trauma on Stage. CONCEPT, 29(2), 58-72. https://doi.org/10.37130/sythf992