Hikaru: Ray of Light is a contemporary theatre piece using light installations to take audience members on a journey of self discovery with a nod to ancient Greek art practices.
Presented in partnership with the Consulate General of Greece in Adelaide, the art show will be shown at Festival Hellenika and at the Adelaide Fringe for one week in March.
Hikaru’s producer Eleni Atsikbasis told Neos Kosmos the show is having its Australian debut, aiming to spark a revival of Greek theatre and dance in Australia.
“It’s a chance to give audiences a taste of what’s going on in Greece today,” she says. “Greece is where culture and theatre and performance began.”
Eleni wants to reintroduce the art form that she believes has been frozen in Australia — after living in Athens for the last 30 years, she has moved back to Adelaide and is ready to combine the artistic cultures of the two countries.
Hikaru is a contemporary theatre show, paying homage to and furthering the evolution of Greek theatre and puppetry since the days of Karagiozis, who plays an iconic role in Greek folklore.
The umbrella theme to this art show is metamorphosis, with a coming of age storyline. Anastasia Parava is the primary performer, using her body and other objects to create an interplay of light, shadow and movement.
Eleni says Hikaru provides a chance for the audience to slow down, with the performance asking “where do you stand when you’re facing a challenging time?”
She feels that the idea of being present is important for school-aged students, who have grown up in a fast-paced and digital world, and worries about the expectation on young people to constantly be productive.
Hikaru has been pitched to an audience of 14 and older, and will be performed in Greek, but also comes in French and Italian iterations. Eleni suggests it’s “an invaluable opportunity for people learning Greek to immerse themselves in a live cultural experience”.
The show highlights Greece’s vibrant cultural legacy, and encourages the Greek diaspora and general community to pause, reflect and allow light and theatre to move them.
