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KVAVA
K

Thodoris Gonis
“Kavala’s summer
outfit is the Philippi
Festival”

The artistic director of the Kavala Municipal and Regional
Theatre and the Philippi Festival walks non-stop and
detects the rhythms that lie hidden everywhere. Ο
καλλιτεχνικός διευθυντής του ΔΗΠΕΘΕ Καβάλας και του
Φεστιβάλ Φιλίππων περπατά ασταμάτητα και ανιχνεύει
τους ρυθμούς που είναι κρυμμένοι παντού.

by Vassia Antonopoulou

He has worked in the theatre in- and the sailor boy, well, that puts
dustry for the last 35 years as ac- you into action and that becomes
tor, director, artistic director; he a blessing. It makes one vigi-
has written the lyrics for more lant and alert. And you also set
than 200 great Greek songs; he sail on this great sea, which al-
has worked with the most influ- ways gives you three chances be-
ential directors, actors, trouba- fore drowning you. The point is
dours, composers and singers; his to be relaxed, to play dead as you
latest novel entitled “Seven White are tossed along the waves. Even
Shirts” is now in its second pub- the most violent waves, the great-
lication; he speaks to us about est storm, cannot but offer some
Kavala and the Festival. He be- minor sense of tenderness in the
lieves that people’s homeland is end, and will not drown you.
not only where you were born, Quite simply, my difficulties gave
but also where you work. He of- me a positive outlook on things.
ten “takes his dog for a walk”, To pass through the eye of the
meaning himself because that is needle is very interesting. The
where he usually discovers ideas point is to moisten the thread
and sensations. This is Thodoris well. Like the silkworm, and then
Gonis, the “agonistic pessimist”, turn it into silk.
which means he is doubly opti-
mistic, and prefers to work gen- What is the theme of this year’s
erously with everything he has Philippi Festival?
rather than to complain. This year it is dedicated to “The
Odyssey”, subtitled “The Art of
How do you manage everything Survival”. Because “The Odys-
concurrently? sey” shows us the art of survival
I am lucky, because this my way. in its finest form. Besides, Odys-
Ever since I was a young boy I re- seus is a mythical and allegori-
member studying and organis- cal character, who never exist-
ing and working at the same time ed – and this is why he did. The
– I am for working. Out of ne- Trojan War never happened, and
cessity, really. If you have to make that’s why it did. What I am try-
the river, and the boat, and the ing to say is that Odysseus is not
oars, hull and sails, and the song an adventure hero, he is not in

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