For ten years now Stamathis Kraounakis’ theatrical troupe performs on the Musical stage of Athenaida theatre. They track the social and cultural prints of our age. This year they scored a bull’s eye. The premiere of the “All That Baz*: Last night of the world” came out a little after the CERN experiment about the world creation and a little before the student demonstrations in Athens.

Stamathis Kraounakis tells how the initial idea about the shows came around for the daily newspaper “Eleftherios Tipos”: “The show tells a story about the last night of one tired and defeated humanity. Before we started the performance, we made a significant research through Facebook where people had to answer the question “What would you do during the last night of your life?” The results showed that 80% would like to have sex and two would like to spend their night with their grandmother. This shows a tendency for returning to our family, to our roots. Us the people, we have never lost the tenderness. What happens around us always obliges us either to render an account or not to be able to express it.”

“Our life has become like Winnie from Beckett’s “Oh, happy days,” comments the producer regarding the current situation in Greece. “I think that the change has to start from our homes. I do not give too much hope on education. Ever since the 50’s all governments have been trying to turn education into illiteracy and violence. We have reached a dead end. Three generations of Greeks have been taught to a lifestyle with salary of 100 000 Euros without having the right education or job. We are the verge of a societal depression. Everything, which was called an economical crisis hides inside of it cultural, emotional, and existentialist crisis. Many children of my friends are in a very bad state – hospitals, pills, after the first rejection they give up and don’t have the desire or the strength to fight for their lives.”

Is there still hope? Kraounakis answers evasively: “There is a way out, only if we become more alert though. We need to understand that our neighbor’s problem will come into our house tomorrow.”

The play “All That Baz: Last night of the world” will be performed on the Musical stage of Athenaida theatre: 34-36 Kastoryas street, Votanikos, tel: 210-3480000.

In memory of the 16 year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, Stamathis Kraounakis gives out a 10 Euro ticket for all students, who would like to see the play.

*Baz – in Greek Μπάζα (baza) means trash, debris.