The job of the theater is to open a public debate on issues, actress Christina Christofia, who stars in the Antilogos theater play “Don't shoot the kite”, tells KYPE, a play by the Turkish writer Feride Tsitsekoglou. Christina Christofia says that she feels joy and honor for this year's double distinction of the Antilogos theater at the international theater festival of the Maltepe municipality in Istanbul, since it is the second consecutive year that the Antilogos theater participates in the festival. "The honorary distinction in Turkey of a Cypriot troupe that does socio-political theater I think means something. There are also people there who love peace and work in this direction, he points out.
Asked about her personal award (S.S. received the B’ female role award for her performance in the show), the actress says that every honor is important for an artist's personal journey. "I feel that my responsibility to continue to consistently do my job as modestly as I can is also growing," he indicates.
Regarding the selection criteria of the project “Don't shoot the kite”? from the Antilogos theater, Christina Christofia explains to KYPE that the Antilogos theater, since its foundation, has as its goal to deal with issues of history that are often hidden, invisible or even distorted, as well as with the political issue of Cyprus and the peoples of our region”. "We deal with issues of peace and war, with how man can rise to the occasion and be a man with a capital A", he adds.
Within this context, Christina Christofia continues, "for the last three years we have decided to deal with issues concerning Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, focusing on moments in the history of the three peoples, which fate brought together geographical, historical, political and cultural'.
He adds that “more or less the three peoples have a common path, common sufferings and at some point their paths crossed.” For example, there was a coup in Greece in 1967, in Cyprus in 1974 and in Turkey in 1980. The actress emphasizes that Kenan Evren's dictatorship was very decisive in changing the socio-political face of Turkey, since “brutal persecutions and executions took place, there were exiles and wild witch hunts, as had happened earlier in Greece”.
"We have found that the people are suffering from the same policies and fascist practices. “We are also trying to understand the reasons why each community of Cyprus was individually led to the trauma of 1974,” says Christina Christofia to KYPE.
In addition, he emphasizes that "the job of the theater is to open a public debate on issues, to ask questions. The theater doesn't necessarily give answers, but it raises concerns and a perspective, which the public school here and there between the barbed wire and nobody touches on the type of wires. He points out that “everyone has their own narrative, they stick to it, wanting to set aside the responsibilities they have.” Also, women and children are among the greatest victims of history».
Asked what shocked her most about the work of Feride Cicekoglou, the actress mentions the sensitivity with which Cicekoglou – a highly acclaimed writer who was persecuted during the Evren junta for her leftist beliefs – conveys Turkey's political situation to the reader. He explains to KYPE that the "Don't shoot the kite" is a novella, which Antilogos transferred to the theater with permission from the author, who for thirty years did not give permission for the text to be performed theatrically. She adds that in 1989, the work was made into a film, which won an award at Cannes for its screenplay.
The work, says Christina Christofia, "depicts the situation in prisons through the eyes of a five-year-old child. who grows up with his mother in prisons». "When 15 years ago I read the novel and watched the film, I was accompanied by the thought of the imprisoned women for many days. “I was tormented by how similar the destinies of our peoples are,” he says characteristically.
“Inwardly, the hope was born that we would find a way to present the plight of the Turkish people, because theater has directness to the audience, since it creates images and can speak to the heart and conscience of people,” the actress tells KYPE, adding that years later, when the Antilogos theater was founded, she proposed the work of Feride Tsitsekoglou to her colleagues, "who happily embraced the suggestion. We contacted the author and suggested that we collaborate».
Responding to a question about the messages of the play regarding the period in which we live, Christina Christofia states: "We must not lose our humanity. We must stand in solidarity. The play raises the issue of women's solidarity and how they stand up to their oppressors. The power is in our hands».
Through the work, he underlines, "the resistance of these women and their hope can be seen. Hope must never die that we can claim that piece of heaven that is rightfully ours. Why’ that and the kites, as a symbol of freedom of thought, fly free and the regime does not manage to crush them.
The actress points out that the play is autobiographical and cites real events. "It is a sweet, tender and humorous play, because the naivety of a child meets the absurdity of fascist attitudes in prisons, giving rise to laughter", he adds.
As for the theater's immediate plans On the other hand, Christina Christofia reports that on November 19, the premiere of the work of the Serbian writer, Milos Nikolic, "Siderades", which is "a hilarious comedy about the period shortly after B’ World War'. Through satire, the actress explains, Nikolic poses essential questions regarding the course of humanity, people's choices, what war leaves behind and what peace can offer us.
It is noted that the performances of the project “Don't shoot the kite go up” every Saturday at 20:00 and Sundays at 19:00 until November 13, at the Mascarini Theater (Athalassis 4, Latsia). Next, there will be a tour with stops in Limassol (Lanitio Gymnasium, November 9, 8:30 p.m.), Dali (Idalio Panorama, November 23, 8 p.m.) and Ayia Napa (Municipal Theater, November 24, 8 p.m.).
Source: KYPE
