“Penelope Delta meets the Tramp” – A play by Mimi Denisi, based on Delta’s masterpiece called “The Tramp”
Perhaps, “The Tramp” is the most popular book for children. It has accompanied many generations and it continues moving deeply its readers, basically because of its great ideas – ideas that have created the Greek Civilization. It is a book that addresses to all, regardless of their age.
Penelope Delta and her family, they were living in Alexandria of Egypt during the Macedonian Struggle. She decided to take as main characters of her book a typical family that had many similarities with her own family. Vassiotaki’s family is a beloved family and its members are grown up with austerity in a multi-cultural environment (an English teacher, an Egyptian groom, a Greek chef etc). The members of the family learn how to love people despite their nationality and social class.
Delta had to choose the one and only main character of her book and that character had to be pure and right in order to express all the questions of the children. She chooses the dog of the family and she calls it “Tramp”. The name declares its brave character, despite staying in a wealthy family.
Through Tramp’s adventures, we can observe the different characters, the contradictions of human beings and the little childish lies – as well as adult lies. Also, fragments of the Greek History are regularly presented like the stories that parents and grandmothers are telling to kids.
The Tramp is influenced by all these things and it tries to become an admired hero by doing something important. Due to its effort, many funny incidences are always culminated in damages and punishments. Despite all these, all loves it. Even Vassilis loves that dog, who is the silently and mysteriously depressed gardener.
After a great damage, Tramp escapes in order to live freely, but it witnesses real life with famine, misery and injustice. Its friendship with a stray dog makes Tramp realise freedom as the greatest good.
When it returns home, Vassilis’ quarrel with the Bulgarian milk-carrier reveals Vassilis’ real story. He was a Macedonian fighter and his son was kidnapped. The boys of the family decide to join the Macedonian Struggle and Tramp follows them. Tramp protects them and it becomes the hero in Delta’s “The Secrets of the Swamp”.
This is the first time that Penelope Delta’s novel becomes a performance and it is interwoven with fragments of her “Diary”.
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Mimi Denisi’s play “Penelope Delta meets the Tramp” is based on Delta’s masterpiece called “The Tramp”.
Delta is the main character, the narrator and the person that influences the play as an invisible power. She stops, continues and changes the plot of the play. The main characters of the play are the members of a Greek family in Alexandria. During family’s every day routine, the play talks about great ideas such as freedom, dignity, equality and its main topic, which is the Macedonian fight for independence.
Delta’s unique inspiration is that all these ideas- as described above- are presented through the Tramps eyes (the dog of the family). Tramp is Penelope’s partner and all the things are said with humor, smartness and without pomposity. Smile and emotion go together -but above all- there is Delta’s love for Greece that shines.
The play is referring to both kids and adults and it reminds us the values that had been characterizing Greece and we have to remember them.
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Performances: 6th April – 28th April 2013 (Saturdays and Sundays).
Hours: Saturdays 18:00 & 20:30 (double performances), Sundays 19:00.
