Synopsis

May 1919. The Greek army lands in Izmir. Its purpose is to defend the Christian populations living on the coasts of Asia Minor. George Ampatzis, a Smyrnian by origin, enlisted in the summer of 1920 to take part in the realization of the Great Idea. Advancing towards Sangarios with the 13th Division, the land of Anatolia opens before him charming as well as inhospitable. Along the way, he encounters places and persons drawn from the historical present, but also from the mythical past, while he is constantly confronted with the inexorable fact: the fate of the campaign seems destined. A story told through the eyes of soldiers. Of those who were called to defend and, abruptly, to forget, a fleeting dream. The comic of the same name by the award-winning Thanasis Petrou is brought to the stage with the narrator himself. Music, speech and vibrant soundscapes are combined into a live “studio” event. The public is invited to watch the story as they would hear it on the radio. The actors become readers, listeners, musicians, Foley artists and recompose the sound of Anatolia, Smyrna and the Big Idea. Of origin, retreat and cancellation. The pre-production of the show took place within the framework of Koumaria Residency 2022 (organized by Medea Electronique).