Paris Erotokritou interview at www.mcf.gr

The director of the “site specific” performance “New World Order” talks to Afroditi Ermidi

The underground level of Michael Cacoyannis Foundations Cultural Centre is being transformed into a theatrical stage and welcomes the performance The New World Order. Fresh Target Theatre company presents a subversive, site specific performance, in which three texts-plays by Harold Pinter coexist with pictorial artworks by significant Greek as well as foreign artists!

What differentiates the audiences experience in this site specific performance?

At first the fascinating thing is that parking space has been transformed into theatre! I really like to use venues that are not merely theatrical as the venue itself quite often leads you. Therefore, spectators do not just seat in theatres seats but they participate with all their senses, they coexist with the actors thus they live a common experience. There is a contact between actors and spectators, and among the audience itself.
In fact audience acts as if they were actors. Since they are in the space that action takes place, automatically there is a reason for them to be there. We do want that to happen in our performance. However, only in the end of it, spectators will realize which exactly their role is.

How the theatrical elements of the performance are integrated with the pictorial ones?

The occasion is given by Pinters text Press Conference, where a Minister of Culture, who has ministered in the past as Secret Agency chief, answers to journalists questions. The Ministry has organized an event in order to present its method. In the line of this event presents an art exhibition which aims to address lifes positive side. In addition, some allusions in the play are associated with the exhibitions artworks, in a way that will be revealed only through the performance itself.

Why did you choose Harold Pinters texts?

I really like his writing style. He throws out insinuations without using words. There are things that are not being said with words, Para linguistic things that are hidden in between the words. Additionally he uses language as a weapon, he is cynical and violent though, not in the conventional way of violence. He has exasperation.
The performances text consists of three political texts. The trigger was the play One for the Road, which is actually the main text. It is just a small sample of Harolds Pinter masterly manner of play writing.

What motivated you to choose political texts?

I am interested in politics and since I come from Cyprus, politics (in the strict conception of the term) is rightly or wrongly in my life. Since I was relatively young I used to read newspapers, though, I am interested in some aesthetical dimensions of politics in general. The way a politician is being expressed, his her gestures, what he or she wears etc. However, a couple of years ago I realized that I felt part of a strange system. Without being aware of what it really is. I realized that I do not have complete control of my life.

Is there an attitude of criticism in regards of the general situation that we all live nowadays? As far as the New World Order is concerned?

No, just because this situation is muddy after all! I cannot understand it either mentally- logically, or instinctively. It is not something clear, though I am aware that there is indeed a New Order, or whatsoever it has already started being shaped. Somebody could tell that it is the Financial Crisis, but this would be a hyper-simplified consideration.
We do not aim to pass along the audience a specific message. I would like them to watch a story that possesses introduction, body and conclusion, this is the primal aim for me! In other words we created a play in order to amuse! Thus, if spectators decode any messages forasmuch as the plays are political, this has been fallen to personal estimation or view. Nor do I aim to make a comment on the existing situation, just because it is anyways forceful!
As Pinter himself said in 1957, concentration camps used to be a wound that no one could ignore. Whereas nowadays, there is so much violence all around us, that easily can be ignored. Even in our own homes, in our relationships, in allegedly civilized societies.