Interview
Tasos Rodovitis: My goal is to evolve as an artist.
For the second year you are performing in "Treasure Island", at Porta Theatre, directed by Thomas Moschopoulos, a performance that received the Best Performance for Children and Adolescents Award from the Association of Theatre and Performing Arts Critics. What is it about the show that sets it apart?
I think two things make this show special. One is the cast. The talent and experience of the director, the imagination of the musician and a well-tuned and tightly knit cast make for an excellent recipe. The second thing I think is that the pirates welcome the children to the theatre in their own way, so they get into the spirit of the play right away! So they feel involved and intimate in what is to follow.
Tell us about the characters you are performing there. We know that Black Dog, although he is the scariest pirate of them all, is by far the children's favourite. Why is that?
I do three pirates. Israel, where he's the sneaky one, Pete, where he's the dumb one, and Black Dog, where you can tell what it's all about by the name alone. I think he's one of the kids' favorite pirates because they're afraid of him. They're intrigued by his searching gaze.
In November, "Waiting for Godot" premieres at Porta Theatre, again directed by Thomas Moschopoulos. This is one of the most important works of world drama. Why is it still relevant today?
The play not only remains relevant, but it is as timeless as the classical tragedies. Beckett has given us new forms of drama, where they are still in the process of being assimilated. Just as the revolution in quantum physics with its "uncertainty principle" (which I believe Beckett was influenced by) has not yet been solidified in people's consciousness, so too with Beckett. There is the paradox that the meaning only comes out of the text as a whole and not at all from individual parts. That is, like the electron, where when you locate it you see a particle when normally it behaves like a wave!
That's where you interpret Estragon. How did you approach the role and what should the audience expect from the performance?
I learned my lines and left myself to Beckett! In the company of my colleagues, of course. The viewer can expect a classic staging with young actors.
As you have also studied music, you often perform in shows where you use both your musical and acting talents. What do you think is the place of music in the theatre and what does it add to a performance?
Music, costumes and sets are an integral part of a performance. And the music also has a stage effect. Even its absence plays a role.
You were born, raised and studied in Thessaloniki, but since 2019 you live and work in Athens. Is the field more open to artists in the capital?
Clearly yes! Thessaloniki is my city and I love it, but artistically it is blocked somewhere, there is a brake. In Athens, people cooperate more easily and set goals with the aim of achieving them. I've experienced this in the theatre and in music.
What are your next goals as an artist? What do you dream of in your career in the industry?
My goal is to grow as an artist. Now from the path in the industry what do you dream about? Beautiful and well paid jobs, with good collaborators! What else!?