Thank you for your “TOC”
photo taken by: Antonis G. Antoniou
One can’t help but praise the work of TOC- Cyprus Theatre Organization. The entire event took place on the stage of a theater located on the outskirts of Nicosia, in the industrial part of the city, where scenery for plays is also produced. The organizers were able to boast of their well-organized transportation. Participants arrived at the venue in beautiful turquoise buses, which added to the charm of the entire event. They were supported on site by a group of scouts, responsible for providing the catering part of the event. At all times, the store served delicious coffee, refreshing drinks and a variety of snacks, which made the time between performances more pleasant.
As for the time allotted for preparation, each artist had one hour to rehearse, which proved sufficient for the technical team to program the lights and sound accordingly. The artists arrived well-prepared, which enabled them to concentrate on “putting on” their performance in the form the festival offered. After each performance, Q&A sessions led by Marina Maleni were organized. During these interactions, in addition to introducing themselves and presenting their ideas, the audience was completely free to ask questions. The whole atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, so that even the more difficult questions often managed to turn into pleasant conversations between good friends. There were also moments of pause in between each performance, which gave everyone a chance to quickly discuss their observations and share their emotions as they watched.
It was a very good experience to see the play “You&I” directed by Christodoulos Andreou. The actors created an amazing chemistry between them, perfectly playing the characters of teenagers. The play itself was extremely moving and was part of a theater program aimed at young people, “Luggage,” curated by Stavros Stavrou. After the show was over, the entire team participating in the festival engaged in a closing party, where no one wanted to admit to thoughts of leaving Cyprus, which testified to the strengthening of ties and leaving behind unforgettable memories.
Weronika Mikuła (ETFI)
