“the strings of music” (Marionette Theater “ANTAMAPANTAHOU”)

The play
They play is a funny world music concert performed by humans and marionettes along. It consists of a series of sketches, performed by 11 marionettes and two marionette players/ actors. The latter act as characters of both a puppet theatre performance and a mime performance.

The music ensemble has been formed by the following musicians: a folk music percussionist, an Asian belly dancer, an accordion player, a gipsy singer, an ud traditional player, 3 classical violin players, a guitar player, the drummer of “The Strings” Rock band and a violin player in his early youth.

The performance
The performance is based on a combination of puppet theatre techniques and mime techniques. The wooden and paper-made marionettes are being animated with the use of various techniques (strings, marot, bunraku) on black background. Both the marionettes’ and the performers’ movements are the result of a choreography based on mime and commedia dell’ arte elements and techniques.

MARIONETTE THEATER “ANTAMAPANTAHOU”
The laboratory of manufacture and puppet theater of puppet “antamapantahou” was established  in 1992 by Nikos Tompros and Eleni Panagiotou at Vasilika of Northern Evoia in Greece.
From 1994 onwards, it has been performing in the streets, theaters, schools and international festivals in Greece and Europe.
In 2002, it was commissioned by the Hellenic Culture Organization to tour in 8 cities in Greece and Cyprus, within the framework of the Cultural Olympiad Programme. Apart from its own productions, it has developed co-operative projects with outstanding Greek musicians and theater groups.
As an integral part of its overall policy, Antamapantahou organizes and delivers seminars and workshops for children and adults in the fields of puppet and marionette manufacture and puppet animation.
Antamapantahou working method combines a variety of puppet theater, pantomime and physical theater techniques. Its performances are being developed in a way that emphasises on the relationship between the puppet and the puppeteer, always aiming to develop the puppet into a distinct and self-animated character.