Dimitris Papaioannou at NEON’s Portals
What: NEON presents a series of performances Sisyphus / Trans / Form (2019) by internationally acclaimed Greek choreographer, director and performer who blends experimental dance, physical theatre and performance art in surreal, dreamlike and immersive performances. Sisyphus / Trans / Form (2019), a piece for six performers, is based on the myth of Sisyphus, condemned by the gods to roll a rock up to the top of a mountain which then rolls back down again so that he endlessly has to repeat the exercise. In Papaioannou’s interpretation mountain and rock become a single, vast rectangular stone slab: a burden for Sisyphus but also a frame for the performance and a portal through which the protagonist disappears and re-emerges.
At its heart, Sisyphus / Trans / Form is a meditation on the absurd. During the enactments of Sisyphus’s struggle there are moments of pure slapstick. At one point Sisyphus is castrated and his rock flattens him like a cartoon character. Once the emasculated Sisyphus has managed to stagger to his feet, he is trans/formed to a woman.
Performers: Dimitris Papaioannou, Christos Strinopoulos, Drosos Skotis, Michalis Theophanous, Kalliopi Simou, Pavlina Andriopoulou.
Work created with the support of Megaron – The Athens Concert Halland realized in collaboration with Collezione Maramotti + Max Mara
Produced by 2WORKS in collaboration with EdM Productions / Elisabetta Di Mambro and Simona Fremder
Commissioned by the Collezione Maramotti and I Teatri di Reggio Emilia.
When: On 27, 28, 29, 30 December 2021 at 15:30 daily.
Reservations open on 6 December via neon.artsvp.co.
Admission Free with a ticket booked in advance.
Where: The Tobacco Factory basement, Lenorman Avenue
