170 Square Meters (Moonwalk) is the latest production staged by the Creative Drama & Arts Coordinator Katerina Poutachidou and is presented with the Greek Australian Film Society (GAFS).
The award-winning play opened for just one weekend (7–9 November) at The National Theatre in St Kilda. Each performance was sold out and received glowing reviews from the audience.
Written by Giorgis Tsouris, the play sees two estranged sisters from a contemporary Greek family in Thebes reunited after their father passes. They navigate their own secrets and emotions as they return to their childhood home. Performed entirely in Greek, English subtitles were projected to make the play accessible for all.
Jeremy Artis directed the play and performed alongside a talented cast: Ioanna Gagani, Hyacinth Makka, Giannis Lyris, and Efrosini Theodosiou.
Their iteration of the play and the theatrical coordination from Katerina Poutachidou created one of the most seamless pieces of theatre I’ve seen this year. The play moved effortlessly between comedy and drama, leaving the audience in fits of laughter one moment and in tears in the next.
The comedic flair Artis brought to the stage elevated the energy in the room. Performances from Gagani, Makka, Lyris and Theodisiou were equally nuanced, polished and captivating.
Some audience members sat along the edges of the thoughtfully decorated set, a deliberate staging choice that made them part of the family drama unfolding on stage.
Speaking to The Greek Herald, Artis explained that he wanted the set to feel open, framed by doorways rather than walls, to “comment on small societies and how there are no secrets”. Having the audience present on stage reflected the nature of small towns in Greece where often personal business can become general knowledge.
Vice-President of the Greek Community of Melbourne Anthea Sidiropoulos attended opening night and, reflecting on the performance, she said, “I was very moved. I felt like Broadway New York hit Melbourne… There are brilliant plays written but it takes an extra dimension for the actors to bring it to life and today that’s what happened… It made me cry… I think everyone should see it.”
Artis told The Greek Herald that the idea for 170 Square Meters came from wanting to do something contemporary after their play Girls in Crisis earlier this year. Noticing that nothing of its kind had been previously performed in Melbourne, Artis said, “that’s why I wanted to bring it to the Melbourne Greek Australian audience… 170 Square Meters spoke to my heart straight away.”
The relatability of the text immediately connected audiences with the play.
“I think the characters’ wants and journeys are very universal. The core story of the family coming together after the passing of the father is something that happens a lot in families of different cultures [and] the differences of what to do with the heritage of the house and everything that’s left behind,” Artis said.
“The dynamic between the two sisters really spoke to the audience no matter what their background was.”
The team’s rehearsal process involved improvisations and in-depth discussions of the play and character dynamics. “I set the ground early on that this is going to be a realistic play,” Artis said. He admires the emotional structure Tsouris brings to his plays, and he hopes to stage more of Tsouris’ work in the future.
After the success of their three performances, the team has added a new performance of 170 Square Meters (Moonwalk) for Friday 19th December. You can purchase tickets here.
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