Theatro Technis

Theatro Technis, Crowndale Road - geograph.org.uk - 675198

Theatro Technis is an independent multi-cultural arts centre with a 120 -seat theatre located in the heart of London Borough of Camden. It contributes in general and specific ways to the cultural and social life of the people of London. ^[1]

General contribution to the cultural diversity of London.

• Providing in-house productions of ancient Greek Drama in the English language and for which it is noted. ^[2]
• A performance space for innovative interpretations of classics, e.g. Shakespeare, Chekov, and Dostoyevski ^[3] and other classics by visiting, ^{[4] [5]} next generation directors. ^[6]
• Hosting foreign language productions. ^[7]
• A platform for political theatre, most notably The Madness of George Dubya which had been rejected by almost all of London venues. Michael Billington of the Guardian remarked "The most cheering aspect of the year was the varied and rapid response to the Iraq crisis. At Theatro Technis, Justin Butcher wrote and directed The Madness of George Dubya - ignored by most critics until it transferred to the West End." ^{[8] [9]}

Specific and historical contribution

• To serve the “educational and cultural needs” of the Cypriot Greek and Greek communities of the UK, and which was the original raison d`etre by its founder George Eugeniou, ^[10] and a group of fellow actors and creatives: 1) staging dramas that explored the socio-economic, immigration and refugee concerns that impact this community, revealing the trauma of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the ethnic cleansing that ensued and its tragic aftermath. ^[11]
• Organizing the annual community festival of “Cyprus Week” ^[12]
• Hosting the London Greek Film Festival in conjunction with ERT1 TV and the Thessaloniki Film Festival. ^{[13] [14]}

History

Angelique Rockas as Medea, Theatro Technis, 1982

Originally founded in 1957 by George Eugeniou and a group of actors five decades ago Theatro Technis first started its work in an old unused warehouse located in the backyard of King's Cross . Then after a monumental struggle and continued threats to its existence ^{[15] [16]} it finally found its permanent home in an old Church building where it has flourished into a centre of multi-faceted and multi-cultural activities.

Selection of Productions

• Sophocles Oedipus King
• Prometheus Bound
• Medea (play) ^[17]
• Lysistrata
• The Persians
• Antigone
• King Lear
• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Macbeth
• Three Sisters
• The Idiot
• Le Petit Prince (in French)
• La casa de Bernarda Alba (in Spanish)
• Kato Apo tis Keratsies by Stavros Lilitos (in Greek)
• Siamese Twins by Griselda Gambaro
• The Madness of George Dubya by Justin Butcher ^[18]
• We, Macbeth by James Hepburn ^{[19] [20]}
• Dowry with Two White Doves ^[21]
• Afrodite Unbound
• The National Engagement
• A Revolutionary Nicknamed Roosevelt
• The Best of Tofias
• Contract
• Hands Tied, Tied Hand
• Gringland
• Searching for the Lemons
• The Fire Burns where it Falls, and Two Lives
• Cyprus Trilogy
• The Hole ^[22]

UK actors of Greek descent nurtured by Theatro Technis include Andreas Markou, Stelios Kyriacou, Andy Lysandrou, Spyros Kyprianou, Maroula Eugeniou, Peter Polycarpou, ^[23] Angelique Rockas, Anna Savva, Alkis Kritikos  [ nl ], ^[24] George Savvides, ^[25] Jackie Skarvellis. ^[26]

Educational schemes

The Tasty Plays by Scene & Heard, 'a unique mentoring project that sees local kids join forces with volunteer actors, writers and directors to create theatre'. ^[27] Theatro Technis also offers one year free internships in theatre practice for aspiring young directors, supervised by George Eugeniou.

The Humanitarian Arm of Theatro Technis

Theatro Technis runs a citizens advisory service for the local Greek Cypriot community as well as the Camden community. ^[28]

Location

26 Crowndale Rd, London NW1 1TT. Nearest Tube Station : Mornington Crescent

References

1. Trussler, Simon (1 January 1994). The Cambridge Illustrated History of British Theatre. Cambridge University Press. ASIN   0521419131.
2. Theatro Technis (2018). "Theatro Technis ancient Greek Drama archive Classics Centre at the University of Oxford". APGRD– via apgrd.ox.ac.uk.
3. "London Shows | What's On In London | West End Shows". londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
4. "A Midsummer Night's Dream at Theatro Technis | Review". www.londontheatre1.com. 20 April 2018.
5. "Review of Three Sisters at Theatro Technis". 18 June 2019.
6. Jeffers, Alison. "Introduction." Culture, Democracy and the Right to Make Art: The British Community Arts Movement. . London: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama, 2017. 1–32. Bloomsbury Collections. Web. 17 Jan. 2020.
7. Tanaka, Nobuko (30 October 2008). "Going abroad to make it at home". The Japan Times . Retrieved 16 September 2022.
8. "Review of the year: Theatre". TheGuardian.com . 17 December 2003.
9. "Bush satire is London hit". 6 February 2003.
10. "Theatro Technis – Unfinished Histories".
11. The Arts Britain Ignores: the Arts of Ethnic Minorities in Britain by Naseem Khan (Commission for Racial Equality, 1976)
12. "Annual Cyprus Week - Theatro Technis".
13. "London Greek Film Festival - Odysseus Awards 2020".
14. "LONDON GREEK FILM FESTIVAL :: LGFF :: ΦΕΣΤΙΒΑΛ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΥ ΚΙΝΗΜΑΤΟΓΡΑΦΟΥ ΛΟΝΔΙΝΟΥ". www.londongreekfilmfestival.com. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
15. "Save Theatro Technis Campaign - BBC Open Door Archive 1of4" . Retrieved 16 September 2022– via YouTube.
16. "Theatro Technis at 31" by Andy Nicola (Artrage, Issue 20, Spring 1988, pp 14-17)
17. Chaillet, Ned (21 January 1982). "Medea | Theatro Technis". The Times. London. p. 13. Retrieved 16 September 2022– via Internet Archive.
18. "The Madness of George Dubya, Theatro Technis, London". The Guardian . 16 January 2003.
19. Theatre, Everything (26 January 2014). "We, Macbeth, Theatro Technis – Review". Everything Theatre. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
20. Loxton, Howard (20 January 2014). "Theatre review: We, Macbeth at Theatro Technis". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
22. "Hole in the Heart, Theatro Technis, London". The Guardian . 17 January 2004.
23. "Theatro Technis – Unfinished Histories" . Retrieved 16 September 2022.
24. "Alkis Kritikos". www.apgrd.ox.ac.uk.
25. ""Πρόσωπα"-FACES George Savvides" . Retrieved 16 September 2022– via www.youtube.com.
26. "Theatre review: The Frogs at Theatro Technis". British Theatre Guide. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
27. Hand, Clare. "The story of Scene & Heard at Theatro Technis". Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
28. "Theatro Technis Advisory Service". cindex.camden.gov.uk.

External links

• Official website

51°32′08″N0°08′05″W / 51.53546°N 0.13469°W / 51.53546; -0.13469