Theatre. Dr Andri Constantinou. There are indications of theatrical activity in Cyprus in ancient times but there has been very little research into the theatre of that period. Four ancient theatres have survived. These theatres date back to the Hellenistic and Roman eras and are situated across the island, at Salamis, Soloi, Kourion and Pafos. A religious drama from the Byzantine period, called The Cypriot Cycle of the Passion has been preserved but it has no connection with a stage performance.'Laterna Ftohia kai Filotimo', by Alecos Sakellarios, Satirion Theatre production (2. We have clear evidence of theatrical activity from the second half of the nineteenth century. During the last years of Ottoman rule, few and far between performances by Cypriot amateurs and Greek touring troupes took place. After 1. 87. 8, when power was transferred to the British, the number of foreign companies visiting Cyprus increased, more amateur theatre groups were established as associations and there were quite a number of school performances of ancient drama. During the last decades of the nineteenth century the first examples of playwrighting appeared in modern Cyprus, mainly on historical subjects. The first landmark in the history of theatre in Cyprus was the completion in 1. Papadopoulos Theatre in Nicosia, an impressive theatre building, by Cyprus standards, built on the model of large theatres in Europe. Unfortunately, the theatre was demolished at the end of the 1. Dramatics were also developed at the beginning of the twentieth century by groups of Turkish Cypriots. Initially the Turkish Cypriot theatre was based on traditional Turkish theatre, i. The first modern work was staged in 1. Vatan Yahut Silistre . A milestone in the theatrical life of Cyprus was the Pafitiki Epitheorisi . It was clearly influenced by the Athenian revue. The production went on tour to other towns and two more versions were performed in the following years. These performances signalled the passage from non- artistic amateur theatre at national or charity events to theatre interested in art and entertainment, and in this specific case in satire. The Revue later flourished in Limassol and Larnaka, while it was Nicosia’s turn in 1. Mousiki Skini Lefkosias . We refer to the Turkish Cypriot theatre in short parenthetical paragraphs, due to the fact that the sole bibliography in Greek consists of articles in the magazine Epi Skinis . Relevant information was drawn from the article of Yasar Ersoy in the publication in question. In the years between the world wars, the theatre of labour associations and organisations left its mark, while in the 1. World War II, Cypriot theatre began to acquire more professionalism. The theatre companies Lyriko . O gabros mou, o dikigoros: . 1972: O magkas me to trikyklo ' Stavros Perivolaris: 1980: A Taste of. As far as playwrighting up to 1. Other notable works include those of Evgenios Zinonos (O Dikigoros . Reference should also be made to the plays of A. A. Georgiades- Kyproleontas (Mia Nychta sto Hani . However, the greater part of the plays written during the period between 1. Cypriot dialect on subjects derived from rural life. One of the first examples of ethography is I agapi tis Marikkous .
Cypriot ethography often contains music and songs and the spectacle often includes traditional dances. The first example of this type of comedy is To Oneiro tou Tzypri tou Lefkariti . With this performance in 1. Kypriako Theatro . A key figure was the popular comedian Nikos Pantelides. In the 1. 95. 0s Kypriaki Skini . These theatre companies were based in Nicosia while in Limassol groups of experienced amateurs enlivened the life of the theatre under the direction of Keimis Raftopoulos. The Theatro Technis (1. Nicos Charalambous and Stelios Kafkarides and the director Thanos Sakketas. OTHAC (1. 96. 1- 1. Its first director, Kostis Michaelides was followed by Yiorgos Filis. After 1. 96. 4, OTHAC turned to revue, Greek farce and Cypriot ethography. In 1. 96. 9, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation founded a theatre company that was known as the Theatraki tou RIK . It was supported by personalities such as Andreas Christofides and Evis Gavrielides. Through the dynamism of those who inspired it, the homogeneity and the zeal of the team and its bold repertoire, the company introduced high artistic standards to the Cypriot theatre life. Jenny Gaitanopoulou and Despina Bebedeli made their mark as leading actresses at the Theatraki. The company broke up in 1. THOC . A major contribution was made by the directors Nicos Shiafkalis and Vladimiros Kafkarides during the 1. The main volume of plays was ethographical and mainly musical ethographical comedies. The most important representative of ethography was Michalis Pitsillidis, who introduces social issues in this tradition. A particular case was that of Michalis Pasiardis whose work moves on the fringes of ethography but is imbued with poetry. From independence up to the foundation of THOC in 1. Some examples include Demetris Papademetris, Marcos Georgiou, Achilleas Lymbourides, Sotos Oritis, Anthos Rodinis, Savvas Savvides, Michalis Kyriakides and Andreas Potamitis. Other playwrights also tested their abilities with different forms and subjects. Examples include the polymorphous work of Panos Ioannides and the polygraph Eirena Ioannidou- Adamidou. The Turkish Cypriot professional theatre company called Ilk Sahne . In 1. 96. 5, First Stage enjoyed the subsidy of the Turkish Cypriot Communal Chamber and was renamed Turkish Cypriot First Stage Theatre. The theatre group attracted a regular and devoted public. In 1. 97. 1 the troupe Altun Sahne . It is remarkable that Cyprus acquired its state theatre just eleven years after the declaration of independence. Samuel 'Billy' Wilder: Avanti! The first director of THOC was Nicos Chatziskos. In December 1. 97. THOC was taken over by Sokratis Karantinos, under the title of instructor- director. Karantinos supported THOC in its first steps with the confidence he showed in Cypriot directors and his devotion to the art of theatre. During its first three years, the Organisation shaped its identity despite the many difficulties faced, and consolidated itself. From 1. 97. 2- 1. Iakovos Philippou served as managing director of the Organisation, while in 1. Evis Gavrielides was appointed as its director, a position he held till the end of 1. In the years following 1. THOC took on a political dimension. At the same time, THOC also gained prestige in Greece, mainly through the tours with Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage in 1. Heinz Uwe Haus and Euripides’ The Suppliants in 1. Nicos Charalambous. The Suppliants made an excellent impression and in 1. THOC at Epidaurus. The Organisation has participated to date with twenty- seven productions in the Festival of Ancient Drama of Epidaurus, with many successes to its credit, while Cypriot directors have made suggestions of their own with regard to the interpretation of ancient drama. In 1. 97. 6 the Children’s Stage of THOC produced its first play for children. In 1. 98. 9 Andy Pargilly undertook the direction of the Organisation. Other directors include: Christos Siopachas (1. Andy Pargilly (1. Varnavas Kyriazis (2. The New Stage of THOC was founded in the 1. The first attempts for the foundation of a second stage had already been made in 1. The Experimental Stage was inaugurated in 2. THOC and offering nowadays a space for alternative productions and new playwrights. During the first years following the coup d’. At the end of the 1. The enactment of subsidies, following the activation of the THOC Development Sector contributed to this. This activity began to shape Cyprus theatre in its current form. In 1. 98. 6 members of the Kafkarides family and close collaborators founded the Satiriko Theatro . In 1. 98. 7 Andreas Christodoulides founded Theatro Ena . In 1. 98. 9 Limassol personalities founded the Limassol Theatre Development Company (ETHAL). Its Director today is Menas Tigkilis. A similar initiative took place in Larnaka in 1. Scala Theatre. Its director today is Andreas Melekis. The Anoictho Theatro . As far as the theatrical activity of Turkish Cypriots is concerned, in 1. Turkish Cypriot Theatre First Scene was renamed Turkish Cypriot “State” theatre (Kibris T. In 1. 98. 0, following their dismissal for political reasons, four artists (Ya. The theatre company, renamed later on the Turkish Cypriot Municipal Theatre of Nicosia (Lefko. In the 1. 98. 0s and 1. Theatre Emek in Famagusta, Theatre G. The Turkish Cypriot Comedy Group attracted the interest of the public by presenting works in the Turkish Cypriot dialect. In the meantime, the Turkish Cypriot “State” Theatre, which was mainly staffed by artists from Turkey, changed its staffing policy and employed local artists as from 1. Turkish Cypriot press. From 2. 00. 4 onwards it entered into an era of restructuring with an extended theatre company and increased productions every year. Examples include: Panos Ioannides and Rina Katselli from the older generation and Yiorgos Neofytou, Maria Avraamidou and Andreas Koukkides from the next generation. Examples of writers who appeared in the last fifteen years are Evridiki Pericleous- Papadopoulou, with plays that are poetic and Nearchos Ioannou, Antonis Georgiou and Adonis Florides, who attempt to broaden their subject matter with modern issues of Cypriot society.
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