Ludens Ensemble | Open Call for sharing stories
The theatre group ‘Ludens Ensemble’ is making an open call for personal narratives relating to the separation of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities in Cyprus for the purposes of developing a theatre play under the title Forbidden Stories. Forbidden Stories is the third installment of a trilogy on the themes of power and collective memory created by the theatre group ‘Ludens Ensemble’ and included in the programme of ‘Pafos, 2017 European Capital of Culture’.
Ludens Ensemble are looking for testimonies and personal narratives from members of both communities that will provide the content for a stage performance of histories from before, during and after the separation. According to Ludens: “Separation is a trauma that has left its traces on both communities. Forbidden Stories aims at creating a platform that will function as a bridge in order to gradually form a common narrative for ‘lifeʼ in Cyprus and to show that both communities are part of the history of this island. We are therefore looking for narratives that relate mainly to stories of solidarity and friendship. However, we are open to any story or experience one feels he/she wants to share. The stories you tell us might come from events you have experienced personally or might have heard directly from those involved. We are also asking members from both communities to send us local folk tales and songs.
We aim to collect testimonies and stories from people who have experienced the divide and then to transfer them on stage. For this project we will incorporate the aesthetics of narrative theatre through which interviews of real people’s stories will blend in with folk stories and songs from both communities. Four actors will interpret different characters, narrate stories and interpret songs. Their performance will
be aided by the use of video mapping projections of animated material and documentary videos. We also be making use of puppetry, masks and shadow play. Forbidden Stories will be presented in Pafos in October 2017’’.
A result of the war was the abrupt termination of years of good relationships between families and friends. Forty-two years later, the horrific stories of war and violent separation remain indelibly etched in those who experienced the war. Pafos is connected with such stories; the largest Turkish Cypriot community was residing in Mouttalos and in rural areas of the Pafos district. It is now uprooted while the Greek Cypriots who now live in Mouttalos are also uprooted from the occupied part of the island.
You can send your narrated account either in printed, video or audio format by following the instructions in the link:www.ludensensemble.co.uk
Ludens Ensemble will be present in Pafos between the 5nd till the 19th of April 2017 in order to conduct additional interviews and record your testimonies.
If you would like to be interviewed or if you have any enguiries please contact us by e-mail: [email protected]
*Ludens Ensemble is an Edinburgh based theater group which developed the project ‘Power and Collective Memory’ as part of the events of Pafos 2017, European Capital of Culture.
Upload your Story in the following languages:
Greek: Open Call – Download / Form – Download
Turkish: Open Call – Download / Form – Download
English: Open Call – Download / Form – Download
