No stars and no primadonnas
As Theatre Antidote moves to a new venue, workshops will be available for more children
PARENTS all over Cyprus take their kids for extra lessons in maths, history, English, or even geography but have you ever thought there might be a kind of after-school activity that children would actually want to go to. I’m not talking about dance or singing classes or piano classes for that matter, because I remember how much I used to hate it. How about the Theatre Antidote?
Theatre Antidote is the “medicine” for social problems that “attack” all children, problems like being bullied at school or having to go through your parents’ divorce or other problems that might scar a child. Whatever the case, even if there isn’t a problem, there is now an answer to the sickness. “We address the problem,” said Catherine Beger, co-director, actress and drama teacher, “I don’t expect to change the world but at least we can help.”
Catherine came to Cyprus in 1995 after training at Liverpool University, followed by a degree in acting, and since then has worked very hard with her partner, Xenakis Kyriakides, co-director of Theatre Antidote, to make a difference in Cyprus. “I saw an opportunity and seized the moment,” she explained. “I knew that Cyprus was raw and didn’t have something like this, so I could make a difference.”
Theatre Antidote is not your average drama school. It’s the first time something like this has been done in Cyprus because it isn’t just about performing and putting on plays. It’s about theatre games, improvisation, movement skills, voice projection, mask making and puppetry plus costume and set design. “This way every child learns something about responsibility and confidence,” said Catherine, “there are no stars and no primadonnas, everyone has ideas and we use them.” The theatre is set to expand into an arts centre, where choreographers will be brought in.
Launching their new venue in Larnaca with a new production, Theatre Antidote staged The Little Man’s Best Friend on Saturday, which was inaugurated by Minister of Education and Culture, Pefkios Georgiades. “After six years of work, it’s a relief to finally do something like this and have the Minister of Education and THOK behind you,” Catherine said. Xenakis and Catherine both play in the production, which will be on every Saturday and Sunday (see What’s On pages for details).
At last, an after-school activity that can help youngsters to get interested in something. From learning about stage sound to simple electronics and even circus skills like juggling, there’s bound to be something that interests most children.
SEVEN QUESTIONS
What car do you drive?
I don’t drive.
Describe your perfect weekend.
Having absolutely nothing to do, going for a long walk or relaxing with a good book.
Assuming you believe in reincarnation, who or what would you come back as?
I’d like to think that I could do so much with my life that I wouldn’t need to come back and do more.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is failure.
What is your earliest memory?
I remember when my brother was born when I was three. My mother gave birth at home so I witnessed everything.
What did you have for breakfast?
A cup of coffee.
What was the last item of clothing that you bought?
I bought a dress.
