By Chrisa Spylioti
Directed by: Kyriaki Mitsou
Production: Culture in Action
Summary of the project
Kaiti and Lisa are cousins and grow up together. From the first scene, at the age of 8, to the last scene at the age of 88, we follow their personal journey from childhood, to adulthood and maturity. Through comical and dramatic situations of their everyday life, the influence one exercises to the other, their interactions with those around them, their dreams, their claims, but also their frustrations- two women so different yet so alike, seek, chase and pursue the position they deserve in society within an eternal circle of life.
It is a fast-paced, bitter-sweet comedy of 27 alternating scenes, which have the dynamic feel of cinematic sequences. Feminine scenes, light or emotional, tender, difficult, but always true and above all human.
This is its first presentation in the United Kingdom, it has been translated into many languages and has been presented in other countries abroad (USA, Croatia, etc.).
“Who discovered America”, by Chr. Spilioti, essentially captures the psycho-graph of these two people in their constant effort to discover, accept and reconcile with themselves and each other.
Show Information
March 16-18 & 21-25 March, 19.30 in Greek
Golden Goose Theater (146 Camberwell New Rd, Vassal, London, SE5 0RR).
On stage
Kaiti: Kyriaki Mitsou
Lisa: Dimitra Bakalgianni
Music: Annie Mumford
Contributors’ Bios
The author
Chrysa Spilioti was born in Athens. She was a graduate of the Dramatic School of the National Theater and worked as an actor in theater and television. She made her debut as a playwright with “Who discovered America?”, which was staged in 1997 at Amore- Theatre of the North and has been performed all over Greece and Cyprus- in the Astoria diaspora in New York, but also in Brussels and Amsterdam. In 2004 the play represented Greece at the International Theater Institute in Croatia and has been translated into six languages (English, French, German, Polish, Portuguese and Croatian).
Other works of hers, performed on stage are “Scotch Shower”, “Aga-sfi and fi” and the monologue “With a Difference in Breasts”. Her latest play, Fire and Water, was staged at the Alma Theater in 2008, and also at the Tristan Bates Theater in London. “Lost Right” is her first collection of short stories.
The remarkable and sweet actress and writer, left early in the great tragedy of the fires that broke out on July 23, 2018 in Mati Attica.
The Director and Actor
Kyriaki was born and raised in Athens. She studied Social theology at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens and attended the Drama School of Athens ‘Iakovos Kambanellis’. She took directing courses at the Royal central school of speech and drama and now she is doing her MA at Theatrical Studies at the Open University of Cyprus with the direction ‘Acting and Directing’. She has been working as an actress since 2007 in various shows in theatre and television and has participated in many films in Greece and U.K. Some of the them are ‘Our best years’ EPT1, ‘On sourit pour la photo’, ‘#3099’ that was awarded at Beijing Film Festival 2022 ‘Stay’, ‘Mangas’ which was screened at BFI film Festival 2018, Blood Rites at Vault Festival 2020 to name a few of the recent ones. As a director she has directed ‘Shopping and Fuck***at Vapheio theatre and was the assistant director at ‘Pulp Fiction’ in Alkistis theatre both of them in Athens. While in London she directed ‘The maids, a game for two’ at White Bear Theatre , ‘Pitsa’ again at White bear Theatre and the kid’s show ‘The swallow that was waiting for Christmas’ at Hellenic Center, ‘With Power from Kifisia’ at Golden Goose Theatre and ‘In Kambanellis’ Neighborhoods’ a co-production of the Department of Modern Studies of Kings’ College and Culture in Action, which took place in London again at Golden Goose Theatre and in Tirana with the support of the HFC of Greece and under the Auspice of Greek Embassy in Albania. Part of her artistic work has been exhibited at the gallery Tate Modern in London.
She is the founder and artistic director of Culture In Action, founding member of the multidisciplinary art group Fabrica Athens, the Representative of Hellenic Foundation for Culture in the UK and she is also a member of the European Union Womens’ Commission in Greece in the branch of Culture. She is also a teacher in Greek Parish schools, supporting the effort to transmit the love and knowledge of the Greek language and culture to the younger generations of the diaspora. She also supports the community with the very important position of secretary at St. Nicholas Parish in Shepherds Bush.
Director’s note
Chrysa Spiliotis’ work ‘Who Discovered America?’ elegantly and masterfully toggles with time like a pianist playing his keys! She quickly alternates the momentary situations that left their imprints both in time and in the souls of her characters. It moves from comedy to drama and vice versa with wonderful ease and drags you through the emotional swings. Although the work is permeated by a female care, tenderness and warmth, the journey towards self-discovery, which is such a distant place but at the same time so painfully close, is all-human and has no gender. This was also my approach in directing the spiritual and physical journey of the soul through the humour and sadness of life that go hand in hand.
The actress
Dimitra Bakalgianni is an actress, musician and acting coach based in London.
She is a musicologist graduate of EKPA with a specialization in Byzantine musicology as well as the Central Stage drama school. She continued her acting studies at the Ivana Chubbuck School of Drama in Los Angeles and has worked with acting coach Patrick Regis in London.
Dimitra’s CV includes: the American film ‘With a Kiss I Die’ and the leading role in the theatre show ‘Emil & the Detectives’, ‘The Thorn of Akakia’, ‘PITSA’ and ‘With the power of Kifissia’. Her most recent activity includes teaching the theatre group Greeks on Stage and her participation as an actor and assistant director in the show “In Kambanellis’ Neighborhoods”, a co-production of the HFC of Greece, Kings’ College and Culture in Action, which took place in London and Tirana.
In recent years she has been involved in script writing, the adaptation of world repertoire plays and the production of plays and short films. Finally, Dimitra is the founder of the production company Players of Ethos.
The musician
Since moving to the UK in 2016, Annie Mumford has been involved in various projects and groups in the performing arts.
From Community Music to touring as a drummer, Annie collaborates with musicians and artists, directors and choreographers – between London and Zurich and provides her percussion instrument skills for a variety of projects and performances.
In addition to teaching and collaborating in London, Annie will be traveling across Switzerland this summer for her second tour with Swiss all-female band: Stimmenfeuer
The Production
Culture In Action is a multicultural UK-based organization with a continuous presence in the arts since 2017. It aims to support and promote artists from minor ethnicity groups that live and work in the UK. Our actions are characterized by the fact that they must always have at least one Greek element.
Productions include, among others, the performances: ‘The maids, a game for two’, ‘Pitsa’ in collaboration with ‘Players of Ethos’, ‘The Swallow that was waiting for Christmas’ in collaboration with Greek Library, ‘With Power from Kifissia’ and “In Kambanellis’ Neighborhoods” co-produced with the Department of Greek Studies of King’s College. The show “In Kambanellis’ Neighborhoods” was also performed in Tirana with the support of the HFC of Greece and under the Auspices of the Greek Embassy in Albania.
Also in collaboration with the Hellenic Institute of Cultural Diplomacy U.K. the monthly cultural meetings “Greek Arts” were held in 2020-2021 with the aim of supporting and promoting Greek Artists living in the UK. Our presence is dynamic in other cultural actions such as the return of the Parthenon Sculptures that took place in 2021 at the British Museum
