[KÁMARES] ELEUSIS // 2023

// The House of Ridicule and Transformation

Κάμαρα [Kámara]
noun. A room, usually private, in a house or apartment, usually a bedroom
anc. Greek καμάρα < Italian camera < Spanish Cámara < French chambre < mod. Greek κάμαρα // Κάμαρες (plural) [Kámares]

[KÁMARES] is a multidisciplinary, site-specific project that has the flexibility to change forms and the adaptability to travel and be presented in places that may be conventionally regarded as non-theatrical (e.g., residential, industrial places). It consists of a multitude of events, following the main narratives of Euripides’ overall research and practices, which are met at the intersection of dance, theatre, performance, and the visual arts, and are primarily inspired by the elements of transformation and ridicule. In [KÁMARES], Euripides challenges himself to exceed the sole role of the (artistic) director and/or performer and becomes its overall curator. Hence, the use of space becomes crucial to the dramaturgy of the project and the spectators’ experience, questioning the established relationship(s) between the creator/performer and the spectator.

Euripides and OSMOSIS presented [KÁMARES] ELEUSIS in January 2023, as part of 2023 ELEUSIS European Capital of Culture. They took over the two-storey 1930’s building of the Leonidas Kanellopoulos Cultural Centre and turned it into a hub for artistic experimentation and research, forging a universe, the reality of which eschews any kind of linear perception, stimulating the senses and imagination of both artist-performers and audiences alike.

Along with his artistic collaborators, Euripides selected a fragmented collection of the characters and the overall elements of the universes of his previous works, re-presenting them through the distorting lenses of transformation. The spectators were invited to navigate themselves through the different rooms (kámares) of the performance site, as well as its exterior space, exploring in detail a diverse terrarium, in which the curator partakes, coordinates, answers emails, or simply observes the creatures that have seized his life. In the meantime, somewhere in the backyard of the building there was a traditional Greek kiosk (periptero) where nothing was up for sale, while somewhere further deep into the garden and at the heart of a cozy open-air amphitheater laid a tent, where a unique musical ensemble gathered to perform.

// where & when

GREECE // ELEUSIS // 2023 ELEUSIS European Capital of Culture // 20, 21 & 22 January 2023

// reviews

“Laskaridis creates a universe, the reality of which deviates from any linear perception, triggering the senses, the imagination, and the humor of both the artist and performers, as well as the public who “travel” through it.”

- EDITING TEAM // Athinorama

“In Kámares it is as if Laskaridis became a museum himself. His whole work, the characters, the inner vibrations that can’t be directly deciphered, the narrative constructed a building that contained him and bore his name. For those of us who love and follow his work and the thread of its development and evolution, [KÁMARES] verged on the heartwarming.”

-KATERINA I. ANESTI // iEfimerida

“[The characters] parade among us, dance, play the bouzouki, sob, and recite the same incoherent, heartbreaking monologues over and over again. At first you laugh then, as always in his performances, the laughter...  turns sour. You realize that everything you see is disturbingly familiar. They seem to urge [the spectators] to activate their senses, leave logic  behind..”

- XENIA GEORGIADOU // Kathimerini

“Euripides Laskaridis’ creatures move beyond, within and alongside human nature. Yet at the same time, they are outrageous, grotesque, strange, sad and funny just like humans […] in a non-theatrical space, Laskaridis recapitulates his staged work of the last eight years. Years of dizzying creation, domestic and international recognition.”

- STELLA CHARAMI // monopoli.gr

“Euripides Laskaridis’ journey through incompatible with each other elements, combined with materials of incredible ingenuity, creates magic from the ordinary, an uncanny universe in which memories, objects, the space, language, existence, transformation, ridicule, irony and illusion, are being implemented.”

- ARGYRO MPOZONI // Lifo

// project info

[KÁMARES] ELEUSIS // 2023
// site specific – installation – performance
// 150 minutes

Conceived, curated, directed & performed by // Euripides Laskaridis

in collaboration with // [inside the house] Konstantinos Chaldaios (visual artist – set designer), Christos Delidimos (visual artist – costume - set designer), Chrysanthi Fytiza (performer), Nafsika Keke (visual artist), Pavlos Lykoudis (dancer), Dimitris Matsoukas (performer), Spyros Ntogas (performer), Ilias Skourlas (visual artist), Yorgos Stenos (musician – sound designer), Alex Vangelis (dancer), [courtyard area] Eirini Boudali (actress) and the musical ensemble: Celia Tsioufi / Colorgraphs, Thanos λόst / Lost Bodies, Kristof & Konstantinos Georgopoulos, Yorgos Stenos & Yorgos Stavridis

The costumes appearing from the plays RELIC (2015), TITANS (2017), ELENIT (2019), and TOURNÉ, were either tests or completed works by artist/costume designer Angelos Mentis.

associate architect // Loukas Bakas
assistant to the director // Ioanna Papakosta
artistic collaborators // Elena Kalaitzi & Manos Kotsaris
line producer of photographic portraits // Dimos Klimenof
portrait photographer // Elina Giounanli
technical director // Konstantinos Margas
sound engineer for the outdoors stage // Giorgos Chanos
production manager // Nikos Mavrakis – TooFarEast
production assistant // Aristidis Kreatsoulas

commissioned by // 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture 
co-produced by // 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture [GR] & the OSMOSIS performing arts company [GR]
funded by // The Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports

special thanks to // Eliza Alexandropoulou, Kelly Diapouli, Nikos Dragonas, Fani Harvalia, Vicky Kaminari, Lia Laskaridou, Rena Laskaridou, Tasis Laskaridis, Angelos Mentis, Alexandros Mistriotis, Maria Moschouri, Efthimis Moschopoulos, Dimitris Papaioannou, Tina Papanikolaou, Giorgos Poulios, Giorgos Skianis, Melina Terzaki, Nikos Triantafyllou - Sonic Playground Studio, Jeph Vanger, Olga Vlassi and Natasa Zagkli.

// see also