Anastasia Parava interview at www.mcf.gr

Anastasia Parava interview at www.mcf.gr

Anastasia Parava interview at www.mcf.gr

The director of puppet theater performance Crescent Moon Bear talks to Afroditi Ermidi

Which is the story of the Crescent Moon Bear?

The Crescent Moon Bear is a folktale borrowed from folk oral Japanese tradition, which was adopted by our copywriter, Magi Poupli, especially for the performances needs. Through this story we want to talk about the catastrophic consequences that war brings about, as well as the journey of a little girl towards her soldier-fathers soul salvation. Through original galanty show techniques, directness of live electronic music as well as narration, we wished to travel along with you into time, and share our thoughts and emotions at regard of the era that we live in.

Which is the target group of the performance?

Our performance targets on adult audience. The subject, the messages, the atmosphere, the narration as well as the electronic music compose a puppet theater production for adults base on galanty show and the technique of depiction through the three-dimensional shade.

According to your experience, how adults presume tales and puppet theater, a genre of art that has been associated with our childhood years?

Important is to attract adult audience in puppet theater performances. After all Puppet Theater and galanty show in Greece are strongly associated with children and this is not essential. We have been presenting puppet theater performances for adults since 2003 and I thing that it takes time to introduce to the people this type of art. By the time spectators will realize the existence of adult puppet theater art, I am convinced that they will love it. Puppet theater is magical because when a puppet, a figure, or even a lifeless object come alive by their heartener, and suddenly breathe and they do exist on the stage, a such strong illusion is being created, which, in combination with the a strong subject and story, accomplishes to make the audience be forgotten(lost) in space and time, to follow, believe, dream, be moved, be awakened. All of us who work on puppet theater talk about a virus the renown virus of puppet theater which once infects you, its over, it escorts you for the rest of your life!

Your performance refers to the catastrophic consequences of war on human beings. Do you spread on purpose an anti-war message, besides other?

The story of the performance takes place in 1st World War, known as the war that would stop all wars. On the contrary, nowadays, war exists all around the globe. And it doesnt make sense, taking for granted that life is the most valuable good that someone could have, people keep on being recruited voluntarily in order to honor death in a celebration of slaughter, pain and disaster. Definitely there is an anti-war message, but our aim was to go beyond the national wars and distinguish the everyday wars that we suffer from in the cities we live, and in our routine.

Which is the feeling that you would like spectators to have leaving the performance?

It would be ideal for us to come close to Purgation feeling, as it is defined and experienced through the ancient tragedy.