Telemachos – Should I stay or should I go?

Facing economic duress and soaring unemployment, many young, well-educated Greeks are leaving their country and immigrating to Germany. The directors Anestis Azas and Prodromos Tsinikoris, who themselves commute between Berlin and Athens, and the dramaturge Jens Hillje examined this trend and the economic and democratic crisis in Europe exemplified by Greece. They specifically focused on how people are being influenced by the current economic and political circumstances. The directors interviewed first- and second-generation Greek immigrants about their wishes, hopes and attitudes about returning home. The script was comprised of a mixture and overlap of personal stories and voices who tell of migration, identity and the quest for happiness. Even Greek economic experts have their say. The directors used Homer’s “Odyssey” as their narrative foil, which serves as a metaphor for the arduous journeys of modern nomads. The structure of the ancient epic tale provided the frame for the performance, as the directors interweaved passages from the “Odyssey” with excerpts from the interviews and other source materials.
"Telemachos – Should I stay or should I go?" was a co-production by the Ballhaus Naunynstraße in Berlin and the Onassis Cultural Center in Athens, and has been performed in both cities.

Artistic directors: Anestis Azas (GR), Prodromos Tsinikoris (GR), Dramatic advisers: Jens Hillje, Irina Szodruch, Initiated by Shermin Langhoff
With: Sofia Anastasiadou, Knut Berger, Despina Bibika, Kostis Kallivretakis, Christos Sarafianos, Prodromos Tsinikoris, Giannis Tsoukalas

Ballhaus Naunynstraße, Berlin, 11 – 29 Jan. 2013 and additional performances
Onassis Cultural Center, Athens (Greece), 27 Feb. – 10 Mar. 2013