Conversations in ten questions 97: Anestis Azas
Photo: Giannis Papaioannou When The Republic of Baklava , receiver of the First Audience Award at the Athens Epidaurus Festival, arrived in Istanbul in 2023 as part of the IKSV Theatre Festival, it was hailed as a "pioneer of a new generation of Greek theater." Upon seeing it myself, I was left in awe by the text’s sharp wit, its mature humor, the innovative nature of its staging, and the chemistry among a cast of actors who were, individually and collectively, a sheer delight to watch. At the heart of The Republic of Baklava lies a Turkish-Greek couple who decide to establish their own nation-state, utilizing their home and workplace as its centre. Presented as a mockumentary set against a fictional backdrop, the piece features "researchers" who take the stage to, in a sense, reconstruct the history, conflicts, and legacy of this tiny nation. Commissioned to mark the bicentennial of Greece’s independence in 1821, the play chooses to poke fun at the weight of histo...