A theatre week in beautiful Scandinavia
Andriana-Anna Tsiotsiou, Cube’s Participant.
This year, I had the pleasure of taking part at the Theatre Academy organized by Theatre in Palm, which took place within the frameworks of Stockholm Fringe Festival, in Sweden, between the 26th and the 30th of August 2024.
The difficulty of leaving the 35°C Greece to spend some days in the chilly but sunny Stockholm at a late summer, especially when you haven’t packed any sweaters, is easily understood. However, I was very happy to care, since on the 28th of August I was giving my first ever and mainly abroad, seminar on Theatre and Performing Arts Criticism, which I serve with much respect, among my other qualities in the theatre field. And so, I did; in front of an amazing audience where actors and actresses, dances, directors and researchers could be found… The discussion that was born there, was impressive!
I also had the honor to be invited by Sandra Grehn, a lecturer of Stockholm’s University at the Department of Culture and Aesthetics, in order to participate in a panel session, together with other important theatre professionals, regarding theatre criticism in Europe nowadays. Even though our discussion had to stop quickly due to the beginning of the performance produced by some young artists participating in a Theatre in Palm residency, we were all given the chance to exchange our experiences and hopes as well as to meet each other.
Opportunities always come and bring joy and that’s what happened that week in Stockholm. Joy not only about the work around theatre but mainly because of the new horizons that were opened through new, random collaborations, in the frameworks of the very interesting seminars that took place there! Just to briefly give two examples, I had the chance to collaborate with Sehn, an actress from the far away Malaisia, during an acting workshop while I also met some wonderful actors whose work, I am going to study as part of my doctoral research.
The meaning of the Theatre Academy organized by Theatre in Palm is hidden not only in the chance to showcase your work but mainly in the opportunity to meet old and new friends who share the same concerns for art and to develop relationships that, apart from friendships, lead to very beautiful collaborations while exploring different countries and cultures!
