TIP in Cyprus: Voices from the October 2024 Physical Residency Experience
Participants and mentors from the October 2024 Physical Residency Program hosted by THOC shared heartfelt reflections on their time in Cyprus. Their diverse experiences highlight the program’s success in fostering collaboration, cultural exploration, and artistic growth.
Sofia Loghini, Actress & Author from Italy
“My experience in THOC was wonderful. I got to know a place that does theater in an authentic and pure way in a complex and layered city like Nicosia. During our stay we visited the city of Nicosia for the first week, discovered the community that lives there, and during the second week we tried to process all the information that had come to us and the encounters we had made.
We wanted to find a way to stage those encounters without being pretentious but trying to put ourselves at the service of a very complex story. The fact that we were not from Cyprus, however, allowed us to look at everything from another perspective.
I decided to make a series of interviews with citizens from the southern part and the northern part. I was interested to see how when faced with the same set of questions they might react, whether there would be differences and similarities in their answers. What came out was that sometimes government decisions do not correspond to the wishes of the citizens, that sometimes borders are just imaginary lines that create misunderstandings rather than help us live better
It was exciting to try to find my own way to connect with this culture, mixing my two main skills, acting and journalism: I think that theater needs to feed on real stories, human biographies, through which to tell the big story”
Pontus Linder, Performer & Choreographer from Finland
“I want to give a huge thank you to THOC for organizing the Theatre in Palm residency.
It was truly a special experience, greatly facilitated by the organization and mentors.
The exchange with local and international artists, interaction with different communities and learning about the history of Cyprus stands out as highlights for me
And of course the sun and lovely food!
I bring with me home new methods of creating from the opportunity to work together with my fellow residents. As well as an expanded network.
Increased knowledge about Cyprus history and current situation, I think the mentors provided us with different perspectives and we got to meet people from both the Greek- and Turkish Cypriot community.
In the last week of the residency we got some time to create. Inspired by the bi/inter-communal ways of working we created choreographic structures, movements, text and music.
Community, right to opacity, fragility, openness, letting go, nostalgia, history, walls, borders, bullet holes, refuge and intimacy were some of the leading words in the exploration.
It resulted in a 3-piece video set + and installation which was presented to people we met during the residency on the last day.
I also had the opportunity to connect with the local artist Christos Kakoulli. One of his artworks can be found in Nicosia”
Szilárd Gaspar-Barra, Actor from Romania
“The time spent in Cyprus was very intense. I have never gained such deep insight into a country’s history and culture in such a short time. What made this experience special was that it unfolded simultaneously on both macro and micro levels. We got to know the important institutions and the admirable, dedicated people who work in them, and alongside learning about the cruel turns of history, we also encountered the people behind these events and their personal stories.
I carry many special experiences with me, like meeting Simis, the face carver, listening to the muezzins in the the sunset at Büyük Han, testing the acoustics of the Kourion amphitheater, or wandering around Nicosia, guided by the scents of the city. I was also greatly impacted by the ancient zoomorphic and anthropomorphic clay figures I saw in the museums.
I am grateful for my fellow artists as well. We were a diverse group, each bringing unique life experiences and perspectives, which enriched our interactions and made the process of getting to know one another and collaborating a rewarding experience. I loved our shared games. I regret that we didn’t have more time to create together, but I hope there will be another opportunity to meet.”
Marcelo Doño, Dancer, Choreographer & Performer from Germany
“The residency program at THOC was an intense, inspirational and heartwarming adventure. I still will need some time to digest and reflect on all the amazing insights into the culture, art and history we had the oportunity to experience from Cyprus. The cypriot hospitality is one tough to beat, Thank you everyone involved this residency! I found specially interesting the mythological cultural heritage and the character that it gives to this country. I would recommend anyone who has the chance to go to Cyprus to do it. Truely an inspirational place!
Again thank you, Marina, Stavros, Kostas and everyone involved in this residency. It was truely an amazing and heartwarming experience which will stay with me for a long time. So, for that and much more, thank you!!”
Kostas Sylvestros, Director & Actor Cyprus – MENTOR
“My participation as a mentor in the residency was a unique experience that certainly helped me grow as an artist, as it gave me the opportunity to interact with five young artists from five different European countries. Our group bonded quite early on, and it was especially interesting for me to introduce them to the realities of the divided capital of Nicosia. My goal was to provide them with as objective a view of the Cyprus issue as possible, so I made sure they also connected with Turkish Cypriot artists. Our visits to the buffer zone and our discussions around it provided stimuli to explore what truly divides us today as citizens of the EU. In searching for our differences, we actually ended up coming closer together, forming a group full of creativity and inspiration. Our many visits to museums, walks around the city, the analysis of the city’s soundscape, and meetings with important figures provided plenty of input for the five artists to create and produce their own work in the second week. I feel grateful for my participation in the program and for the fact that I made five new friends from other countries, with whom I will seek future collaboration beyond the program.”
Stavros Stavrou, Cultural Curator from Cyprus – MENTOR
“The Theatre in Palm Cyprus Physical Residency was undoubtedly a unique and fruitful experience. As one of the project’s mentors, it was interesting to see the five emerging artists from around Europe come together during the two-week process to share, experiment and co-create. Together with Kostas Silvestros, the residency’s second mentor, we decided that during the working process we would focus on Nicosia; its past, present and future. I believe that the most interesting part of this process was to see the participants familiarize with the city to such extent that their final product embodied the whole essence of Nicosia’s narrative, as perceived by them.
During the residency’s first week, the participants had the opportunity to explore the city and familiarize with its history, its people, its colours and its scents. I strongly believe that this process was crucial in enabling the artists collect all the stimuli which became the core of their work during the residency’s second week. It was also extremely interesting to see the participants work together as a group, benefiting from the fact that they came from different cultures and artistic backgrounds. The team spirit was particularly evident during the presentation of the residency’s final product, which we shared with friends from the artistic community of Cyprus.
None of the above could have happened without the hard work of Marina Maleni and Niki Mourouzi, who were by our side during the whole process. Personally, I would like to thank THOC for this amazing experience which -once more- proved the importance of international collaboration in the contemporary performing arts, especially during the challenging times we are going through. Most importantly, this residency gave me the opportunity to see my own city through a different lens, thanks to five amazing young artists who -in their own words- fell in love with it. “
