International Symposium "Ancient Theatre and Learning Disability”

Blue Apple’s Artistic Director Richard Conlon has been learning from the past of ancient Greece in Athens, alongside other people in similar roles from specialist learning disability theatres across the world.

Richard has attended an international series of workshops and lectures on using the disciplines of ancient theatre in developing theatre skills in learning disabled performers.

Richard said “I am feeling very blessed to be in the very early getting-to-know-you stages of an international project which we hope will culminate in 2025 with a visit from Blue Apple Theatre to Athens. We're flying the flag here for the UK with colleagues from Greece, Poland, New Zealand/Aotearoa, Belgium and Australia.”

On Monday 20 November the Margarita Vocational Centre in Athens welcomed Greek cultural representatives and also representatives of theatre organisations from New Zealand, Australia and Europe at the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Athens, in the Antonis Tritsis Amphitheatre to present a new educational programme about ancient theatre that has been in development for a long while!

Through a week of videos and talks by invited speakers, Margarita presented three workshops on:

• the birth of theatre

• the use of mask in ancient theatre and

• the role of dance in ancient drama

The videos showed pieces prepared by learning disabled performers who attend the Margarita theatre programme under the direction of their director Mania Syriopoulou. These pieces arose from experiential workshops on the birth of theatre.

Experimental laboratories are part of the programme "Apprenticeship in the roots of theatre, ancient Greek theatre and learning disabilities” International Experiential Education Programme, which has the backing and financial support of the Ministry of Culture.

The speakers were:

• Ms. Eleni Papazoglou, Professor of History of Theory and Recruitment of Ancient Theatre at Aristotle University

• Mr. Thanos Vovolis, Filmmaker and Costume Designer, who teaches Screening and Costume at Frances Rich School of Fine and Performing Arts, Deree - The American College of Greece

• Mr. Imon Garofallou, Choreographer and dancer

• Ms. Eugenia Tzirtzilaki, Director, Writer

Masthead image from original Margarita poster.

Below, international representatives pose for a photograph at the Acropolis in Athens.

Richard Conlon is in the centre wearing a Blue Apple branded tee shirt.