Puppetry in Greece

In ancient Greek mythology, Hephaestus, one of the twelve gods of Olympus, who
was also called King of the Hands (cheironax), conceived the primordial
technological dream that led to our high tech civilization. The “golden maidens” of
Hephaestus are considered as the first creatures made of gold with autonomy of
movement. Hephaestus also created a bronze monster, Talos, as a wedding gift to
Europe. Talos was used to guard the shores of Crete. According to ancient testaments,
Daedalus, the legendary Athenian craftsman, created statues that could move
themselves. He also was the first to put eyes in statues and to articulate the legs and
arms of figures so that they incorporated the sense of movement.

In Ancient Greece, the doll played a very important role in everyday life. The doll-
idol, an image of the gods is an inseparable element of worship ceremonies.
Traditions about Dionysus report the enigmatic form of dolls concerning the tearing
into pieces and the devouring of the god by the Titans. The puppet is present in the
Orphic texts connected with the initiation ceremonies of Dionysus.

The articulated puppet is called by the Greeks “nevrospaston” (moved by strings).

Nevrospasta were the first marionettes of home performances. Their performer was
called “nevrospastis”. Thereafter the art of nevrospastis is identified with that of the
mime, the juggler, the rope-dancer etc, a marginal art practice, but well enough
established so that its symbolisms and characteristics (i.e. the strings as a symbol of
the puppet’s dependence from the puppeteer) are already at that times used in
literature and philosophical thinking (as in Plato’s “Republic”).

Xenophon describes a symposium where a puppeteer from Syracuse entertained the

guests. It must have existed as a popular spectacle through the entire duration of
Greek antiquity, since Athenaios, six centuries later, refers to Potheinos, one of the
well known puppet players of that time, who set up his theatre on the foundations of
the Theatre of Dionysus, in Athens. In Plato’s writings is also where we meet the first
curtains –a kind of primitive puppet stage. In the 3rd century BC. Heron of Alexandria,
in the 1st century BC describes in his book “Automatopoetici” (the art of making
automata) two kinds of automatic theatres –the one with a moving stage and the other
with a fixed stage- as well as the dramatic myth which was presented through
automatic movement and scene changing on these stages.

There is not enough information about the puppet theatre in Byzantine. The early
Christian Church did not oppose puppet theatre in the way it did oppose theatre and
spectacle: indeed, the 92nd article of the Synod of Trullo encourages the presentation
of the Holy Scriptures with non-human figures. It is most likely that performances
were given at the fairs as well as in the streets. The performers used probably string
marionettes. In the 6th century, the performers used little wooden icons which could
move as if they were alive and gave performances to weddings. Puppetry was still a
marginal art. However, this tradition did not affect modern Greece.

It is interesting that puppets and effigies widely used in popular customs and rituals
(the burning of Judas, the procession of Lazarus, the “holy puppet” (Christ) of the
Sarakatsani, the Zafiris in Epirus, the Lidinos in the Aegean, etc) never went beyond
the level of the religious worship in the popular agricultural culture and did not
develop into artistic and professional forms of popular theatre performance.

In Greece, there are two popular puppet traditions: Karaghiozis and Fasoulis. Both
take their names from their leading comic characters, being brothers (or cousins) of
Pulchinella, Punch, Petruska, Kasper etc sharing all the well known carnivalistic
context, phallic symbols, fast body action and satire of life and death of these shows.
Greece has been a much more eastern than a western country at that times and this is
probably the reason why Karaghiozis -coming from the East- became the main Greek
popular tradition instead of Fasoulis who never managed to prevail over Karaghiozis.
(See special articles for these traditions)

Just before the Second World War, puppet theatre is performed in Athens by the G.
Rotas group “The Living Marionettes of Zappeion” founded with N. Akiloglou in
collaboration with the National Theatre (1934-1935). Puppetry now turns firmly into
a spectacle for children. Many young artists start experimenting with puppets, but
soon the War starts. N. Akiloglou moves with his puppets and travels the mountains
entertaining the partisans of the resistance.

The “Puppet Theatre of Athens” is founded in 1939 by Eleni Theohari-Peraki. The

main personage, Barba-Mytousis will last for 46 years. The war meets this attempt at
its first steps. The puppet theatre is obliged to adapt itself to the difficult conditions of
the German occupation. The characters became standard: Barba-Mytousis, the good
uncle (a rod puppet), his nephew Klouvios and his niece Souvlitsa (glove puppets).
Very quickly they became famous and popular and the company built its tradition of
good quality children’s theatre transferring on stage mostly Greek folk tales and
myths.

Since 1960, in Greece, there are a few professional and amateur puppet players who
work in an autonomous and self-created place of action, developing this art with their
own attribution. Classical techniques of puppetry are used in the beginning and slowly
evolve in a research of new forms and ways of expression. The classical theatre also
started borrowing element of the puppet theatre in its own research for new means.

Lakis Apostolides performed with classical string marionettes, pre-recorded dialogues

and music, on theatre and the new-born Greek television.
In 1961 D. Sofianos founded the “Little Scene” with many important productions for
theatre and television. His son Faidonas still continues his art.
In 1975 Eugenia Fakinou produces “Denekethoupoli” (The Can City), influenced by
the techniques used in Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. This clearly political series of
performances for children come right after the 7 years dictatorship and inspire many
young artists introducing object theatre in Greece, a very successful experiment that
lasted for years.
In 1978, the actor Takis and Mina Sarris founded his “Greek Puppet Theatre”. Their
performances also escape from the traditional forms of puppetry and the limitations of
the small stage. The performers are visible and the performance is enriched by many
different techniques (shadows, black light, masks etc).
At about the same time, in Crete, Ariadni Nowak starts experimenting on black light
theatre. Later she also uses many different techniques in her productions.
In the 80’s, two festivals made their debut: The International Puppet Theatre Festival
of Hydra, established by Michael Meschke in 1985 and the International Festival of
Marionettes, by A. Nowak in Crete. Through these festivals the Greek audience and
puppeteers suddenly came in contact with the production of other countries and this
was a great influence and help for the development of a new generation, closer to the
western type of post 60’s European puppetry.

Tiritomba Puppet Theatre (Kostas Hatziandreou), Harhout Puppet Theatre (Christos

Aftsides), Ayusaya! Puppet Co. (Stathis Markopoulos), the TV muppet productions of
Manthos and Anna Santorinaiou, Baruti Marionettes (Francisco Britto), Gri Kouti
Company (Antigoni Paroussi), Prassein Aloga Company (E. Kapokaki), Chryssoula
Alexiou are some of the professionals of this generation who work now in Greece.
The interest of young people in puppetry is steadily increasing and every year more
young companies arise promising an interesting future.
As far as Karaghiozis is concerned too, there is a very vivid new generation of
performers (Kostas, Yannis and Argyris Athanasiou, Yannis Dayakos, Athos Danelis,
Tasos Konstas, Helias Karelas and many more) who continue the art of their old
masters, working mainly in schools but also in theatres and festivals.

In 1990, Michael Meschke initiated the foundation of the Greek Centre of UNIMA.
Since 1996, there is the UNIMA Puppet Centre in Athens where various activities are
organized promoting the art (exhibitions, workshops, puppet library, videotheque,
magazine “NIMA” etc).

At the moment, one big international annual puppet festival exists, in the city of
Kilkis, at the north of the country.

In Greece, there is no official professional training for puppeteers. Young ones find
their way, either studying abroad (usually in Europe), or attending various courses at
the workshops of professional companies. The lesson of puppetry exists only in the
Pedagogic Dep. of the Greek University and it is directed to the use of puppetry in
education.
In Maroussi, Athens, there is a very good museum of the Karaghiozis tradition,
established by Eugenios Spatharis, one of the most famous Karaghiozis performers.
A few puppets can be found in the Theatre Museum as well as the Peloponnesian
Folklore Museum, in Nafplion.

For more information please contact: UNIMA-HELLAS, Palamidiou 41, 10441

Athens, Greece, tel/fax (++30-1-210-5141252), e-mail: unimahellas@yahoo.com,
www.geocities.com/unimahellas
Karaghiozis

The main comic character of the Greek popular shadow theatre tradition.

Shadow theatre –a technique unknown in Greek antiquity- appeared in the medieval

Arabic world, more precisely in Egypt. It originated, according to recent theories, in
India and Indochina. After the occupation of Egypt by the Ottoman Empire, this form
traveled to Istanbul, where it first became court entertainment and later popular one
(some sources also refer to its didactic use by religious authorities). Because of the
prohibition of three-dimensional representation, two-dimensional shadow theatre
found no obstacles in its way of spreading. From the 17th century and during all the
Turkish domination, this performance form spread to the Balkan cities, to the court of
the local pasha and later to coffee-houses.

The shadow theatre tradition of Karaghiozis [the main character’s name –in Turkish
“Karagoz”- which probably means “black-eyed” (from Turkish language) or –as some
new theory claims- “black hump” (from Iranian language) = the shadow hunch back]
is the only theatrical form adopted from the East. During the 19th century in Athens,
Ioannina, Halkida, Nafplion and other cities, it was still being performed with its
eastern characteristics: phallic elements and obvious sexual jokes. Urban society
repeatedly protested against the “Asiatic” theatre which was corrupting its youth.

After the annexation of Epirus (1880), a new tradition appeared, giving what was
called “heroic” performances, which had real and imaginary heroes of the struggle
against Turkish domination as its subjects and themes as well as the classical
performance of “Alexander the Great and the cursed serpent”, which made use of
popular booklets about Alexander and fairytales about a dragon-slaying hero.

The chief characters, however, simply acquired slightly different names. Karagoz
became Karaghiozis, a thief but at the same time a model patriot; Hacivat became
Hatziavatis, an acquiescent Greek, moral, honest and industrious, but enslaved to his
boss; the Dandy became Sior Dionysios, who apes Western fashions; the Dwarf
became Omorfonios, a figure of ridiculous appearance; the Jew became a merchant
from Salonika, clever and arrogant but obsequious to his betters. The wife of
Karaghiozis is called Aglaea, and nags her husband as she did in the Turkish version,
but a scandalous courtesan also plays a prominent role.

In appearance, Karaghiozis has greatly extended the length of his articulated arm, so
that it may contain four or five joints. The stages are larger than the Turkish ones; in
the mid-twentieth century the stage used by Giorgos Haridimos was a permanent
elongated rectangular construction of stone and wood, lit by up to 12 electric lamps.
There was a second screen above the performing screen, not visible to the audience,
so that this could be lowered while the lower screen was raised by pulleys, thus
effecting rapid changes of scene. The chief performer moved and spoke for all the
characters, assisted by one or two apprentices, who made sound effects, set and
changed scenes and manipulated supernumerary puppets.

After the neo-Turkish revolution and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire (1908),
shadow theatre disappeared from all the former provinces since it no longer expressed
an existing social reality. The same occurred in Istanbul itself, where the form
survived mainly as a tourist attraction.

With Mimaros’ reformations in Patras (around 1890), new characters were created –
like Barba-Yorgos, Nionios, Stavrakas etc- which reflected the linguistic and social
reality of the 19th century Greece. Moving away from former models, the Greek
shadow theatre flourished greatly between 1890 and 1930. During this period,
Karaghiozis entertained an audience (mainly adult) larger than all other theatre forms
put together.
Technical improvements were made (for example the discovery of the “hinged rod”
which allowed the figure to turn on the screen, or the “double” screen for rapid
scenery changes etc) and the sexual innuendos were removed. Apart from the phallic
element, however, all the other characteristics remained: the hump, the large nose, the
long articulated hand (used to administer beatings), the glittering eye, etc. Part of the
repertoire came from the Ottoman type of spectacle (especially the plays of the
category “Karaghiozis in various professions and trades”, which appropriately
adapted, though, to contemporary occupations. Also there were plays based directly
on current issues and events of the times.

A larger selection of Greek Karaghiozis plays has been published than for any other
folk puppet theatre in Europe. About 280 texts are known to have appeared in print.
Only ten of these, however, have appeared in English, French or German translations.

During the same period (1900-1930) shadow theatre faced competition from the
Fasoulis’ puppet theatre, a strong rival for Mimaros, Mollas, Spatharis and other
renowned shadow players. Shadow theatre declined gradually in the period before
World War II. The limited success of the Karaghiozis was due to the general
shrinking of popular culture which made up its aesthetic context and to the
adulteration of its traditional audience on whose reaction the shadow player depended
for his improvised dialogue, with the incursion of the urban population and audiences
made up of children and tourists who did not respond in a way that allowed the player
to perceive whether or not they liked the play and therefore enabled him to adopt the
tone to their tastes, the traditional aesthetic context decreased and became dull, and
experimentation began. The shadow player, rather than a craftsman, became an artist,
and his production was no longer controlled and adjusted by the audience. The
popular performance was thus converted into urban folklore theatre.

Educational use of the form in schools and private children’s theatres contributed to
the folkloric quality; new subject matter was developed (based on Sophocles,
Aristophanes, fairytales etc), the moralistic aspect was emphasized, even the central
figure of the clever jester, with his pro- or anti- social behavior was rejected and
discarded as nihilistic and therefore a bad pedagogic model. Pre-war booklets
containing Karaghiozis plays have since disappeared (they were in any case dubious
sources for the reconstruction of the improvised word in the oral tradition), but
numerous videos exist and Karaghiozis is often a guest in television. Nevertheless,
improvised speech is threatened by written culture, which is continuously and ever
increasingly taking over the oral art of shadow theatre. Of all Mediterranean
countries, it is in Greece, nonetheless, that the form still exhibits the greatest vitality.
Fasoulis

Traditional neo-Hellenic puppet theatre performed with glove puppets on a small lit,
wooden booth, under which the puppeteer is positioned creating the voices and
movements of his heroes. This form appeared in Greece in the decade 1860-70 and
probably came from Italy (the names of some characters are still Italian) via the
Ionian Islands, where it accompanied an opera company which went bankrupt in
Corfu. There is evidence of other marionette companies in Corfu in the middle of 19th
century, and it is known that the British puppeteer Holden visited Patras as well.

The name “Fasoulis” may originate from the “Fagiolino” of Bologna, or it may be
Greek. The figure can be recognized by its characteristic fez with a long tassel (which
revolves and can fly off and away) and his ugliness: crooked nose, one eye, etc.
The puppets in the begging, kept their Italian names: Fakanapa, Arlekin, Konte-
Denio, Pulchinella, Kassandro, and Colombina. Fasoulis, after his hellenisation,
becomes a real type of “Romeos”, a person with all the -good and bad- characteristics
of a Greek. One of the first Fasoulis players had been Maridakis.
The plots of the plays came from trivial – literature, novels with romantic or bandit
themes, foreign adventure or romantic dramas etc. Many of the Fasoulis’ plots have
been performed also by Karaghiozis. In the last decades of the 19th century, this form
of (mainly street) puppet theatre, which was played in the summer and during the
carnival in the cities, flourished and enjoyed first place among the popular spectacles
before the spreading of the reformed type of shadow theatre after 1890. Basic
elements, as in Karaghiozis tradition, were physical beatings, deaths and resurrections
etc) Fasoulis was often performed by Karaghiozis players as a side show to their main
Karaghiozis performance.

A more refined form of this kind of spectacle, which moved away from the Italian
comic tradition, was created by Christos Konitsiotis (ca. 1870-1928), who also played
the central character of Pascalis. The big success of his performances is due to his
ample repertoire, his stage property and the excellent movement and appearance of
the puppets. His assistants are his wife and daughter. He played speaking in dialect.
His repertoire numbers more than 200 plays, among them his own improvised
adaptations of Moliere’s comedies, but also “The Bandits”, by Schiller, etc. Sources
from the time praise his exceptional linguistic wit and his vast memory. The music of
the performance was live with clarinet, cornet and percussions.
His puppets have been preserved and can be still found in the Peloponnesian Folklore
Museum in Nafplion.

For the “Greek Entry”, there have been used writings by:
Prof. Walter Puchner
Prof. George Speaight
Prof. Antigoni Paroussi
Pup.(-peteer) Stathis Markopoulos