INK

Water gushes incessantly from a sprinkler in an inky black room. A man tries to bring order to his swamped universe: a fragile balancing act that only he can perform. Until a young visitor emerges from all that water. A nightmarish manhunt ensues, testing the limits of reality. Who is this intruder?-|-The equally moving and disturbing duet INK is a battle between old and young, father and son, civilisation and wasteland, stewardship and inheritance, eroticism and torture. The older man, played by either Dimitris Papaioannou or Haris Fragoulis, in a battle with his 'opponent': the young performer Šuka Horn. Two theatre personalities with a very different age and background.

Greek choreographer-theatre-maker Dimitris Papaioannou, trained as a painter, navigates between torment and tenderness in his dance theatre. The images he uses are thought out to the last detail and peppered with references to Greek mythology and art history. But echoes of his fascination with horror films and science fiction can also be found in his work. All this results in a unique, magical world, in which ancient myths are evoked, seen through a contemporary lens.-|-
Dimitris Papaioannou is a prominent name on the international stage and a pioneer in contemporary dance. He was the first choreographer to create a full-length work for Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, the company of the dance legend who died in 2009.

created (concept, direction, sets, costumes, lights) Dimitris Papaioannou
dressed man Dimitris Papaioannou (14 & 15 July) / Haris Fragoulis (16 July)
nude man Šuka Horn
music Kornilios Selamsis
sound design David Blouin
lighting design Lucien Laborderie, Stephanos Droussiotis
creative - executive producer - assistant director Tina Papanikolaou associate director Haris Fragoulis
performers’ physical training Šuka Horn
photographs + cinematography Julian Mommert
music recording Teodor Currentzis, musicAeterna orchestra
name of the play Aggelos Mendis
octopuses creation Nectarios Dionysatos
visual design associate Evangelos Xenodochidis
international relations – communications manager – tour programmer Julian Mommert
technical director Manolis Vitsaxakis
stage manager – sound engineer David Blouin -|-
props master – stage manager Tzela Christopoulou
lighting programmer Lucien Laborderie
stage technician – rigger Aggelos Katsolias
executive production 2WORKS, POLYPLANITY PRODUCTIONS
executive production associate Vicky Strataki
executive production assistant Kali Kavvatha
the first version commission and co-production Torinodanza Festival / Teatro Stabile di Torino – Teatro Nazionale + Fondazione I Teatri / Festival Aperto – Reggio Emilia in 2020
final version and the international tour co-production Biennale de la Danse de Lyon 2023, Sadler’s Wells London, MEGARON – THE ATHENS CONCERT HALL, Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports in 2023
Artist in Residence Dimitris Papaioannou at MEGARON – THE ATHENS CONCERT HALL

We especially thank Teodor Currentzis for conducting the music of INK and offering it to us as a gift. Special thanks to Dimitris Korres for his continuous and genius technical support.