Our Story

1994

The Milos Experimental Stage began informally in 1994, built on the interest of a group of Milos locals and friends living on the island in learning more about theatre by studying plays and trying to stage them for the people of the island. Quite a few plays were studied. For some, rehearsals were completed, but for practical reasons they were shown only to a small audience (“Myself and I” by D. Psathas, 1994; “Trumpets and Raspberries” by Dario Fo, 1997). Among the various attempts, the happiest outcome was the staging of Mitsakis’ “Whatever We Eat, Whatever We Drink”, which led to a very successful public performance in 1995.

2000

In 2000 the Milos Experimental Stage was joined by many new and enthusiastic members covering almost every aspect of putting on a play. Two productions were staged with great success and a warm response from the Milos public: Patatzis’ “Don Camillo” and, from the Experimental Stage’s children’s company, “Walking in the Woods”.

2001

In 2001 the Experimental Stage was officially “founded” as an association. In November it staged Chekhov’s one-act play “The Anniversary” at the Milos Conference Centre “G. Iliopoulos”.

2002

In early 2002 the Municipal Council of Milos, responding to the need to support the group’s work, granted the Experimental Stage the use of the hall at the Adamas Cultural Centre for rehearsing and staging productions. There, in the spring of 2002, the group staged Chekhov’s two one-act plays “The Anniversary” and “The Bear”. Preparing and staging these works helped the company “mature” in both directing and acting. During the summer of 2002 they were performed many times as part of the Milos Festival.

2003

In 2003 M. Reppas and Th. Papathanasiou’s “Daddies with Rum” was prepared and staged with great success over many performances. It was repeated in the summer as part of the Milos Festival at the G. Iliopoulos Conference Centre.

2004

In 2004 the Experimental Stage, strengthened by many new members, staged a very ambitious production of Lorca’s “Yerma”. The systematic preparation it required included upgrading the space and stage equipment of the Adamas Cultural Centre, through much effort by the members and the kind sponsorship of friends and supporters.

2005

In 2005 came Chrysa Spilioti’s contemporary Greek play “Who Discovered America”, an all-female production dedicated to women, with much more mature performances from the women of the company. The theatre space was upgraded further (audience seating, etc.).

Also in the summer of 2005, the Experimental Stage organised an evening of poetry and music in the forecourt of the Catacombs, dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Ancient Theatre of Milos, in which its members took part with poetry readings.

2006

In 2006, answering the Milos public’s appetite for comedy, the Experimental Stage staged Georges Feydeau’s “Hotel Paradiso” to great success. Performances continued in September as part of the Milos Festival.

During 2006 the forecourt of the Adamas Cultural Centre, the company’s home, was restored, and the upgrade of the interior was completed with theatre seating, improvements to the stage and backstage, and more, all with a great deal of work by the members.

After much effort by the Experimental Stage, Milos secured the hosting of the 19th “Aegean Amateur Theatre Meeting” in October 2006, under the auspices of the Ministry of the Aegean. The Meeting was an outstanding success, as everyone remarked. The people of Milos enjoyed two weeks of rich immersion in theatre.

2007

In 2007 the company staged Bost’s “Romeo and Juliet”, which played with great success in the spring and during the island’s summer festival, as well as at the 20th Aegean Amateur Theatre Meeting on Syros in October.

At the same time, the Experimental Stage prepared and presented, in the form of an ancient Greek drama, a dramatised version of Thucydides’ Melian Dialogue combined with Yannis Ritsos’ dramatic poem “The Annihilation of Milos”. These two very valuable texts, though precious to Milos, had remained almost unknown and little presented to the wider public. By filming the flawless performance at the Milos Conference Centre, the Experimental Stage created a cultural work that is not for one use only, but something that will last and represent our island in the years to come, whenever Milos wants to show its cultural side.

2008

In May 2008 the company staged the musical show “A Tribute to Greek Cinema”, with songs from the 1960s to the 1980s.

In the summer of 2008 the Experimental Stage created and staged a play of its own, “From the Inside Out”. It was a piece of theatre completely different from anything the company had done before, since it was created by the performers themselves from their own thoughts and concerns, which they wanted to share and communicate with the audience as participants in the process. The work was also presented at the 21st Aegean Amateur Theatre Meeting on Lesbos in October.

2009

In 2009 the Experimental Stage presented Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town”, along with a series of lectures on theatre and other cultural subjects.

2010

In 2010 two plays were staged: “With Strength from Kifisia” by D. Kehaidis and E. Haviara, and “Mud” by V. Chatzigiannidis. The latter was presented at the 22nd Aegean Amateur Theatre Meeting on Leros in October.

2011

In 2011 Anthony Neilson’s hilarious comedy “The Lying Kind” delighted audiences on Milos and on Chios, in an unforgettable performance at the 23rd Aegean Amateur Theatre Meeting in October. There were also some interesting music events.

2012

In 2012 the Experimental Stage published Pantelena Xydou’s book “Let Me Tell You a Story”, with memories of Milos, and gave a very successful stage presentation of it. Some very fine music performances (Aliki Kagialoglou, Elsa Afentaki and others) rounded off the year.

2013

In 2013 “Rehearsing The Jacket” was a successful adaptation of S. Stratiev’s “The Bleating Jacket”. Many other cultural events were organised by the Experimental Stage, including as part of the Milos Festival.