Based on a 19th c novel by famous Greek novelist G. Viziinos, the performance is about a Turkish man, Mockob-Selim, who even attempted to change his national and religious identity, in search of approval he never got from his father.  His life was an endless crossing of borders in the war-torn East, fleeing from or approaching authoritative figures from his family, the military and society.  Him and his story now become a choreographed spectacle on a mad jester’s stage;  a restless tamer who manipulates Mockob-Selim’s urge for paternal affection and love, making him the protagonist of his vagrant circus.

The show premiered at an empty orchestra chamber of the Athens Conservatory, the last residence of G. Viziinos before his admittance in the psychiatric clinic,  in 2009 under the title «MockobSelim MID -» (v1).  The show returns in 2010  at the same “joker’s den” in the Conservatory, under the title "Moskov-Selim" (v2) and withits circus style intensified.  In 2013, it is staged as “MockobSelim C (C for circus)" (v3), a freak-show of two "wounded dogs" exposed to the public stoning them with contempt. The dirt arena of the 2013 version was hosted by the program of IETM Athens and at Vyrsodepseio Theatre.

“UrbanDig Invites”:   After every performance at the Conservatory, with a glass of wine, invited academics and artists share experiences and views with the audience on issues associated with Vizyinos, madness, national identity.  Free entrance.  Program of lectures:

Elena Vogli – «Program ArtLocus: All the world a stage»

YiannisSkopeteas, Dimitris Filippidis , Dimitris Damascos –«For five apartments and a shop: The architecture of Athens, the Athens society in Greek movies»

FotisIgnatiou- «Gas factory becomes Athens cultural factory»

Kimon Rigopoulos – «Mockob-Selim: Because of honor and blood»

Emilia Papafillipou – «FIXed in flux: a story about E.M.S.T.»

MariantheKotea – «Roman or Greek? From the Byzantine Empire to the Greek State»

Stelios Krasanakis -«Madness on the Stage»

ThanasisSakellariadis, Nikos Sarafianos- «Language as a means to construct characters in Vizyinos»

Daphne Vitali – «The exhibition ‘Expanded Ecologies’ in the outside public spaces around the Athens Conservatory»

GiorgosTzirzilakis – «Spectrology of Ruin: The Athens Music-School of YiannisDepotopoulou»

TakisSpetsiotis –«Searching for haunted places in today’s unsuspecting city (Alexandria – Pireaus – Observatory -  Kifisia – Dorou&Satovriandou street corner – Omonia)»

MaroKardamitsi-Adami –«Saving the past in memory as an ultimate right of our ‘being’: The Athens Conservatory and YiannisDespotopoulos – Dialogue with the past and future through the Neo-Hellenic Architectural Archives of the Benaki Museum»

Maria Fafaliou –«I have to write your story: Testimonial records - catalysts for social integration»

Katerina Drakopoulou – «The Drama School of the Athens Conservatory and the objectives for creating a National Travelling Company»

Walter Puchner –«Vizyinos and theatre»

The group «Urban Gap» -«The path into town»

Pepi Rigopoulos –«In Psiri, tango is the dance of the future»

Despina Zevkili  (main writer of the «Athenorama» magazine & Art Critic)

Network of Nomadic Art-«City of strangers»

Lydia Karra –«Small Citizen – Cultural Environment – Big City»

ArisGaroufalis – «GiorgosVizyinos and the Athens Conservatory»

Michele Feiss – «G.M. Vizyinos – Autobiography of another»

 

Distributionof performance: TzinaThliveri, Dimitris Mothonaios (v1) Otto Metaxas (v2), George Frintzilas (v3).

Direction and text editing: George Sachinis

Choreography: Irene Alexiou

Sets and costumes Designer: YannisSkourletis (v1,v2), Dimitra Liakoura (v3)

Music: Kostas Dalakouras

Lighting: Christina Thanassoula

Video: EfthymisTheodosis (v1,v2)

Communication Manager: Mars Asproulis (v1,v2), Katerina Apostolopoulos (v3)

Production Manager: Mary Logothetis (v1,v2), MantoMelachrinou and Kostas Klitsas (v3)

Assistant to Set Designer: Dimitra Liakoura (v1,v2), Kostas Klitsas (v3)