Credo in Crete 2008

by ALL ABOUT TRAVEL

www.allabouttravel

Title
Ancient Greek Poetry and its interpretation and transition in Vocal and Orchestral schemes in the original Archaic Dialect
Field study ‘’Ajax’’ by Sophocles

                         Who ever believes that without a touch
Of madness and just by being wise
A poet he can be, he is merely immature
For in all truth Poetry is more a work of
A scorned maniac than a work of a scholar
                         Plato

                        Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete,

                        And of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of

                        Artistic ornament in separate parts of the

                        Play; in the form of action, not of narrative; through mercy and fear

                        Effecting the proper purgation of these emotions. By 'language

                        Embellished,' I mean language into which rhythm, 'harmony,' and song

                        Enter. 

                        These parts render through the medium of verse alone, others again 

                        With the aid of song.

                         By their given nature the ones that fall
Into a trance while acting are convincing
Poetry is a product of a scholar or a maniac
From the two the works of the first are
Well fit....the works of the other ecstatic.
Aristotle

Theatrical Research Group “Methodos”
Director George Panteleakis

The group began its works in 1999 researching the vibration of Poetic Logos, analyzing and putting into action the rules of Metric Science and the Laws presented in Aristotle’s “About Poetry”, carrying out and performing in the original Ancient Greek dialect as an attempt to feel for the lost Vibration of Greek Drama.
Our research  is based in actually putting into use the method described in “Aristotle’s  “Poetica’’ in  which an intense system is described by which sound is articulated in a way that creates vibrations, which in return are  magnified by the rhythmic  pulse  of  Metric Resonance. The logos (Prose) being created, penetrates the psychonoetic shell of the spectator, digging deep to unite with vices which at the Exodus removes thus leaving the individual entertained.
Entertainment had a different connotation in ancient Greece. The word Psihagogia (entertainment) is a composite word and an its exact translation means training or lifting or leading the soul. Yet though the original texts are not so far from the contemporary Greek language and we can read and understand them with no difficulty, performing them is a totally different procedure.
(Why in Ancient Greek?
It is known that in order to translate a passage from one language to another you have to be aware of its rhythm and the cultural aspect of the people speaking it.
Especially if we are considering a Theatrical play that is not literature but rather an alive electro sized  Theatrical entity
In order for someone to give life to it essential to this is the Rhythm with which this can be accomplished so it will not collapse .Because what we try to do in Theatre is to build a rhythm and by that means we introduce and escort the spectator in and out to this Virtual reality
So when one translates from one language to another it is almost certain that he has to fully comprehend the rhythm of the language that he is translating from and rhythm is not just a verbal quality but it has a lot to do with the way of thinking and living of the people that created this language.
Scholars and literature aficionados argue the fact that we do not really know how the dialect sounded for there are no records, and under this curse have managed to discourage any serious researcher. We firmly believe that the method left by Aristotle is a system that belongs to actors for only they can swim with results in this ocean of an art that stands right on the crossroad of East and West. It is a step preceding western musical performances, the basis of western theatre as we know it and carries the mysticism of the Eastern occultist who behind the mask leaves him self aside to become a current that unites and pulsates actor and audience with the divine within and without.
As an Art of the catholic Human expression and fate, Poesies comes close to the Philosophical approach which examines the same.
It is then contrary to Plato’s condemnation something Philosophical it is a search for the Truth, on its own merit and ways.

The Myth carriers are the Actors, meaning that the roles comprising the play are mimicking real people by acting. The means of this are the logos (spoken words or reason and cause, the primary vibration of creation), Rhythm and finally music and harmony. These means get energized by the Voice and movement of the Actor.
Voice is closely related with the Logos and harmony and with what Aristotle means with the word LEXIS (word) and that is expression, the way to articulate the logos.
In his “Rhetoric” is stated that the pioneers to involve themselves with expression are naturally the Poets, because words are mimicking products, mimes he calls them and thus Human Voice is the most mimicking of our organs. That is how the arts of Rhapsody and Acting evolved. The Voice is a mimic of all things.
The “embellished” dramatic Logos via the actor’s Voices gets energized through poetic rhymes and gospel and it is through their voice and movement that the Ethos and mentality of the written words becomes alive in the Theatrical act.
It is a vehicle for the logos. It is the natural mechanism that transforms the Logos from a Psychic event into a bodily experience.
The performer molds “Logoic pictures’’ mainly with his Voice and to be frank with the schemes that he creates with his Voice. It is analogue to the “schemes” that the painter creates or the “Orchestric schemes» that the dancer gives with his “Orchisis” (Dancing).
The movement by which the actor articulates his mimicking cannot in fact be a different scheme than the scheme of his mimicking Voice. There has to be coherent Poetic Harmony.
The Vocal schemes are the means of expression.
Loukianos goes on to mention that when the spectators are watching the movement of the soul and identify themselves with it feel great joy so they can not control them selves and burst into loud cheers be cause the result of this is the Delphic “KNOW THY SELF”.
Upon exiting from the Theatre since they now know what to do and what to avoid
As Plato states and strangely enough Aristotle agrees, in order for a Tragic Play of Great significance and value to be composed, the Poet needs to compose while in a manic state, stepping out of his personality and actually becoming the character which has nothing to do with reality for he is a Tragic Hero thus we believe that in only in this way an actor can play these great parts.
TRAGIC LOGOS enlightens the individual and seeks to purify the present day personality of an individual, by the means of resonance, a point strongly discussed nowadays as a lot of people believe it was used as a brain washing method for the masses. Never the less  it is our firm belief  that our production even as an experiment is worthy, if only  to justify  the great science of  Metric  and the endeavours of all those  who devoted their life in  analysing by their own  means these great texts  and who  made the effort to record the  metric way  of  performing Ancient Greek Drama.
Apart from training in Aristotle’s method our work includes research in the movement of the body as it is recorded by the representation of forms in Ancient ruins as it inspires and concludes the spectacle. Further more we create our own body Language using contemporary Art forms as Well
The work conducted is rear as there are few that involve themselves in a similar manner.

The seminar will begin with the Presentation of the documentary ‘’Poetica Part 1” in which part of our work is recorded to be followed by a short term (four hour session) involving orientation on how we approach the matter .
Field study ‘’AJAX’’ by Sophocles parts of which will be carried out with the participation of the students as chorus and in various roles
There will be a more detailed training via the rules of Metric Science in actually articulating a 3000 year old language and improvisation techniques on  the basic rhythms in a ‘’manic state’’ and body movement.
A definite prerequisite is loose clothing such as sweatpants and shirts along with flat plastic shoes or bare foot if in a wooden floor, and all that if available in black or another dark color.
There will be a basic “Psimithio” (The first masks used by Thespis are called that and were  made out of linen) and also we will be using simple theatre make up in order to form a basic unity in how chorus looked, felt and acted.
A conversation will follow where we can exchange information on the whole event and literature.
Looking forward to it, sincerely yours George Pantelakis