En δυνάμει is a collective of artists with and without disabilities. Through its actions, it proposes a new model of art and life, where the "anomalous", the "strange", the "different" and the "foreign" are integrated into the whole, empowering it.
The way the group operates is based on equal treatment between all its members, attempting to inspire other people to stop perceiving the social complex in a stereotypical way and conventional forms.
The idea for the performance "Wootoo Wopatou" came from the desire of the group En Potential to come close to children and teenagers, with a play that could travel and unfold in any scene, in the classrooms, in the schoolyard, in the park, in the neighborhoods.
At the same time, we realized that it is impossible not to try to approach the issue of bullying, violence, non-acceptance, marginalization, by paralleling Alexandros Papadiamantis' short story with the personal experiences of the participants and spectators, as victims, as perpetrators and as observers.
In 2021, the theatrical performance of the group En Potential and the experiential workshop "Octopus Society" were created to start presentations in schools and cultural venues. Following an application by the group to the Institute of Educational Policy, the performance and the workshop received approval for implementation in schools for the school year 2021-2022 from the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs.
During the period November 2021 - February 2022, the performance "GoTu Goupatu Goupatu" was presented in more than 22 high schools (public and private) in Thessaloniki, Kozani, Ptolemaida, Athens, in person and 3 online performances. The premiere was given at the Aneton Theatre in Thessaloniki, for 4 performances for the public, in collaboration with the Mayoralty of Culture of the Municipality of Thessaloniki.
performances continue.
In 2022, with the grant of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, we carried out the tour of the theatrical performance "GoTou GoPatou" in areas of Greece outside the major urban centers, in the framework of festivals, museums and other cultural venues, in collaboration with local institutions and active groups of artists.
From July 2022 to December 2023 the performance travelled and was hosted at the Yuppi camp in Halkidiki, in Aiani in Kozani and at the Ark of Kozani, at the Zagoriwood and SMouTH festivals in Larissa, Amorgos, Milos, in many villages and towns of Halkidiki, in Ptolemaida, in Kavala, and in other venues and stages of Thessaloniki, in a total of 20 performances.
The choice of venues stems from the fact that we strongly believe that the public in all regions of the country, and not only in urban centres, has the right to quality artistic and cultural productions at the lowest possible cost and with the greatest accessibility.
We always act in this way and try to travel with our various actions and productions, to interact with the public of different villages and cities and to grow together.
Eleni Demopoulou, President and Artistic Director
Alexandra Lucas
I liked being with my friends. We travelled to other places and I could sleep with them in other houses. I liked waking up
we'd all get together, have breakfast and then get ready to perform. I remember we had a great time in Milos and Amorgos.
We meet new people and they told us they were glad to see the
"Wootoo Wootoo" and how they really like what we do. I'm very happy to be in this show and my favorite moment is when we dance and sing on stage.
Michael Dolopoulos
The Manolios is me.
In primary school I was beaten, made fun of because I didn't speak well, and I cried. I only had one friend, Monty. In high school it was great, because I did theater in Potential and everyone became my friend. I love doing theater, I love that a lot of kids see me on stage, that they clap for me, that I travel. But most of all I love being with my friends, Elias, Harris, Sofia, Loxi, Panos. I love them very much.
Panagiotis Majiris
There is nothing more beautiful than doing what you love and at the same time living unique experiences with unique partners. This year a big dream came true, with the show Wootoo Wopatu we were given the opportunity to share our story and our work with people who were hungry for theatre, and don't have direct and frequent access to it.
We were given the opportunity to fill our suitcases with new acquaintances, new thoughts and infinite images that I will never forget, and they are so beautiful that they are like a dream.The embrace of the people and the warm hospitality were incredible. The story of Manolis, who once no one came in contact with him, managed to unite countless people all over Greece a hundred years later, and share how beautiful it is: to be proud of our uniqueness and to embrace everything that is different.
From a small village in Tzoumerka to the unique Halkidiki, and from a small village in Kozani to the beautiful Cyclades, as well as in many other places, people communicated with the past and Papadiamantis, but also with our own personal stories of the present. It was a redemptive thing for me as I always thought how much better I would have felt if I had known theatre when I was younger, so this year I was given the opportunity to give a gift to my younger self and feel a double joy by bringing the art of theatre
near people who have no contact with it.
When we started working on the project, the goal was to create a performance that would travel, that would go to the world, to schools, squares, and become one with the environment, showing that Manolis can be someone in our neighborhood, in our school, every person is different, everyone is different, everyone is different.
us.
Elias Kougioumtzis
Somewhere in the middle of July 2022, on a beach in the Peloponnese, I received a phone call from Eleni Demopoulou, the artistic director of the group "En δυνάμει" where she announced with great enthusiasm that the proposal we had submitted so that our performance of "Goutou Goupatou" by Alexandros Papadiamantis directed by George-Zisis Bilionis could tour Greece with funding from the Ministry of Culture and Education was accepted.
Immediately after the phone call we already started planning the trips with the places we want to visit to tell and show the story that we made friends and collaborators with a lot of love and passion for theatre.
Thus, we created a travel plan with destinations in Ioannina,
Kozani, "Yuppi" Camp, "Kivoto", Larissa, Amorgos, Moudania, Thessaloniki, Nea Triglia, Nea Kallikrateia, Milos, Lakia, Ptoleimaida and Kavala.
All the places we visited gave us unique moments, warm hospitality with all the amenities we needed and... great food, and we in turn, gave them our performance, a performance that they accepted with immense gratitude, and as we were told - by most of the people we met - it was: "we miss the theatre" or "we rarely get shows here in our country".
And that in itself for us was a huge reward. Thanks to all of my colleagues for the moments we shared together. Thank you to the Ministry of Culture and Sports for accepting our proposal and helping us to tell a story of Alexandros Papadiamantis that, although written a hundred years ago, seems to be more
more relevant than ever.
Harris Serdari
We are often told, "Your performance should be seen by all schools, all parents" and we realize how much need there is, how much the issue of diversity, the issue of bullying, touches and concerns children and teenagers.
We, in turn, one year when the show was playing in schools, we noticed how uniquely each school and each group of children, depending on their experiences, dealt with the show and we had the need to sneak into each room, into each small or large improvised stage, to put that little spark and start the discussion and sharing.
It was truly a gift to be given the opportunity to travel to other
places, go to villages and islands and open up the theme of the show
to more and more people.
Not only children and teenagers, but people of all ages were there, ready to listen and speak. I realized how much people need theatre and the communication you create through it. Because how else are you going to talk about such a sensitive subject? Yes, you do a workshop, but it's not enough. Theatre brings situations to life in front of your eyes and that's how you come face to face with them.
Every place we went was really a big hug.
Sofia Bletsou
After a year of traveling through the classrooms, our show "Goopatou Goopatou" traveled from the most remote mountain village to the Cycladic islands. A very meaningful experience for the group and its members and for everyone who met in this performance. A performance that created a common meeting place for the youngest audience member to the oldest. On this tour you could see the need for people to see theatre, especially in areas where this opportunity does not exist.
There is a magic in the theatre "going" to meet people. They loved us, cared for us, walked through the villages and islands and greeted us as if we were part of the place we were visiting. The joy we gave was received and gave us the strength to keep moving. We were reminiscent of the wandering troupes of bullfighters. This is perhaps what theatre should be like, a group of friends travelling and carrying a message that has something important to say about violence, about racism about marginalisation and not just with words but with the very constitution of the group based on inclusion. We met with people and entered into a dialogue with them, not only did we tell them a story but they fed us their own stories. The whole experience of the tour was a reminder of my belief that our art can make a difference in this world, move
our thoughts, to evolve us into better people and to try to
to build an equal society made up of different people.
Sofia Kyrina
The whole experience was new for me personally. The text moved and transported me from the first moment. Its timelessness, its truth, its humanity as well as Alexandros Papadiamantis' way of writing are some of the elements that make him very great in my eyes.
The issues that the show touches on are still so "alive" today and the opportunity to see it in places where there is no friction with the theatre, from very small villages in Zagorochoria to the islands of the Cyclades is very important. The team that was created to make the show happen from the actors to the technicians are people I appreciate and admire very much.
Teamwork and cooperation are crucial elements for the smooth running of a performance. I feel very fortunate to have had these partners as my first contact with organizing the production of a theatre show. Partners who showed understanding in many phases when I was unsure or didn't know how to proceed, partners who helped me with difficulties in the kindest and most beautiful way, partners who accepted me and guided me in the best possible way. I feel very grateful for all that I have experienced. Love and care is the solution to everything.
Giannos Gavalas
The Wootoo Wopatou show has a human essence I could say. It has heart, soul and intellect, which comes from its performers. Its body, imagination and senses are taken from its audience. Finally breath, breath and oxygen from the cities, villages, islands, schools and whatever places have hosted and embraced it.
The above text was written after the following process I describe. I was asked to write some words about the Woot Wupatu tour. I didn't know where to start but the mind knew. At once it plunged into the lake of memories. A real macrobiotic journey, it started the day Eleni Demopoulou made me the offer to join the show as a technical member. While the mind reveled in the memories of our stops on the tour I dove headlong into my notes and notebooks. I started with the notes on the play I laughed a lot, the play is starting to look out of my notes now.
I then ran through my notebook and my phone to see what I wrote down before and after each trip what business I had to do and what I got out of each performance. This was what I found at the time mind and eyes found themselves in the same time period in Amorgos. The mind swam recklessly in the day we were setting up outside the Amorgos High School, the first thing that struck me was the magical landscape Richard Lucas created with our sets and lighting as if it was actually pulled out of Papadiamantis' book. "Never what Wootoo, wootoo, mam kati." "Never come of Christ's Santa Claus, let's eat...." As soon as Richard and I finished the props and lights this phrase came to mind it was as if we had set up a picture of a real Christmas fair. After we finished setting up there was a 5x5 pitch next door and Richard and I ended up playing soccer like little kids. Finally after the rest of the team, George, Loxandra, Panos, Michael, Harris, Sophia, Elias, Eleni and Kiki came to rehearse and get our notebooks and bags ready for sale, we ended up having a little party for us before the show with lots of dancing and laughing.
It is no accident that my eyes saw in my notebook that after that night I wrote "I felt like a child and enjoyed it very much, imagination, play and fun appeared out of nowhere. I don't think we were the only ones who felt that but I think everyone gets a bit of that after every show.
I close with a note from them on the play. "Keep an eye on the channels at Virtual Dj
