Sailing to 11 countries to 'rewrite' Homer's Odyssey

Italians feature highly in EU literary cruise

(ANSAmed) - CAGLIARI, APRIL 24 - The itinerant social theater project 'Meeting the Odyssey' is set to sail European coasts from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean over the next three years, dropping anchor in 11 European countries. Nine theaters, four theater companies, six festivals and six international institutions will be involved. The initiative and the 34-meter-sailboat were presented in Cagliari by the Cada Die Teatro, with the actors, directors and set designers from across Europe who will be aboard. The boat will visit 20 ports for the purpose of staging performances and workshops and activities will be held in wharves, small boats and sailboats. It will also be a guest at major European festivals. The focus of the project are four large international productions (two each year), which will arrive in Greece in 2016. The works have never been staged before and are inspired by comparisons and exchanges between communities. The 'performance artist-sailors' will be collecting stories, videos and personal accounts in every port to later be used in theater performances. "This is a truly itinerant project inspired by the journey made by Homer's hero, and borders on a modern-day rewriting of the Odyssey with the stories of migrant populations, their fears, and wars. We were initially inspired by Felice Vinci's book, which puts Ulysses' journey in the Baltic Sea," said Giancarlo Biffi from Cada Die Teatro, one of the two Italian companies (alongside Scarlattine and Teatro della Limonaia) awarded a place in the project after a EU-wide call for proposals. About sixty 'sailor-artists' will climb aboard at a time.

"The aim is to collect stories that bring populations together," Biffi added. "To identify shared roots and a sense of belonging in the European community. We want to set a Europe of culture alongside that of the markets."