Presented at Benaki museum, Athens – 2010
Digital Art Festival, Sofia – 2011
Lithografeio Theater, Patra & Antigoni Valakou Theater, Kavala – 2011
Dr. Maybe Darling was selected by the Hellenic International Theater Center ITI to be part of the electronic theatre and dance platform Athens System 2011.
“Dr. Maybe Darling” is a multimedia solo performance based on an autobiographical text that raises the question of decision-making process and free will. Video (live feed and pre-recorded material) and speech (live and pre-recorded) are in a constant dialogue with the performer on stage, thereby making digital media necessary elements in unfolding the story. At first, speech, information, and thoughts dominate; then the system overloads and the body takes over the mind.
Concept and Performance: Argyriou Tzeni
Performing Alter Ego: Siamou Stavroula
Interviewers: Kouvelas Ilias – Professor Emeritus at the School of Medicine
Baltas Aristidis – Professor of Philosophy of Science
Tzavaras Thanassis – Psychiatrist / Psychoanalyst
Video: Sotiriou Lila
Original music and live processing: Poulios Giorgos
Stage and Costume design: Delidimos Christos, Makarouni Despoina
Lighting: Mihopoulos Thodoros
Assistant Director: Varsami Andromahi – Antonis Nikiforos
Photos: Lila Sotiriou, Miltos Athanasiou, Yorgos Soutos
Background
Research on this work began in Lisbon in 2006, within the framework of the artists exchange program Pepinieres Europeennes pour Jeunes Artistes ΜAP XXL. Since then, Jenny Argyriou has been collecting visual, audio, and other material on the topic of the decision-making process and free will, and transforming this material into various art forms, including script, performance, and interactive installation. Given its nature, the piece will remain constantly under development, each time involving new elements. Earlier versions in progress were presented as “makeup_yourmind 06.01” at the Lugar Comum in Lisbon (2006); as “makeup_yourmind 07.02” at the Abbaye de Neumüster Centre Culturel de Rencontre in Luxemburg and at the Judson Church / Movement Research in New York (2007); and as ‘Dr. Maybe Darling 09.03′ at the Sarantopoulos Mills in Athens (2009).
