The Department of Theatre Studies of the Institute for Mediterranean Studies is the first research program in Greece that that has systematically been conducting original research in the field of the History of Modern Greek Theatre. The theatre research department holds so far the largest collection of information from the daily and periodical Press concerning the theatrical activity of Greek and foreign troupes across the wider geographic area of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. During its thirty years of existence, the department has targeted on three main axes: a. the exhaustive collection of primary sources and archival material for the study of Modern Greek Theatre; b. the continuous training of young researchers on the methods of historical theatre research; and c. the systematic production of new research and comprehensive studies on the history of Modern Greek Theatre.
In parallel, this Department aims at studying Greek cinema and of its relations with foreign cinema and Greek theatre through research on film-related primary sources and archival material.
Scientifically Responsible: Konstantina Georgiadi
Team members: Maria Sehopoulou, Vania Papanikolaou
Project KALLIPOS, Open Academic Editions. ESPA 2021-2025. The project is implemented by the NTUA Research Committee, in collaboration with the Hellenic Academic Libraries Link (Heal-Link) – NTUA Branch.
Duration: 18 months
Scientific coordinator: Constantina Georgiadi
The aim of this research project is to trace, record and process the landscapes of the wandering actors and actresses in the wider Mediterranean region and the Black Sea and to investigate the artistic and cultural interactions between the Greek and the European theatre from about mid-nineteenth century until the beginning of the twentieth.
The main objective of this research project is the creation of a national database which will include all available sources for the study and research of the Modern Greek Theater. In the project Sources of History of Modern Greek Theatre a wealth of evidence on the theatrical activity of the travels of Greek acting companies across the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea has been collected so far. The main focus of the program since its foundation is the introduction of new theatre scientists in the field of research methodology in the history of Modern Greek Theatre and Culture through systematic research training through their continuous processing of archival material and documentation.
The study of the phenomenon of the revival of ancient drama in Modern Greece is carried out by the project of the History of Modern Greek Theatre in the context of a wider project of study of the Ancient Theatre. Part of the Athens Press has been card-indexed, as has a considerable number of projects, albums and volumes dedicated to the revival of the ancient theatre. The result of the project is the creation of an electronic archive of performances of ancient drama in modern times which covers the period from 1817 until today.
The IMS Ancient Theater Project aims at collecting into an electronic data-base all possible information about ancient drama as theatrical praxis and cultural activity within the wider geographical boundaries of the Greek speaking world (although the areas of overlapping between Greek and Roman theater are considerable from the late Hellenistic period onwards).
The research project will focus on the identification, collection and processing of biographies and portraits of Greek and foreign actors in magazines, newspapers and annual calendars published in many cities of Greece (Athens, Syros, Mytilene, Patras etc), but also in the urban centers of the Greek Diaspora (Cairo, Alexandria, Constantinople, Smyrna, Philippopolis, etc.). The material will be classified chronologically, will be listed and analyzed. The data will be inserted into electronic databases and the results of the project will be disseminated through an anthology of biographical texts and with the presentation and publication of relevant articles in scientific journals and conferences.
All available daily newspapers as well as magazines have been indexed, as have all the annual 19th century Greek Calendars. Specifically, 3,500 annual volumes of newspapers have been indexed on approximately 300,000 cards, and over 15,000 articles have been photographed and classified in 253 files. Furthermore, the photographing of rare plays, manuscripts, forewords from rare editions and valuable theatrical magazines. Indeed, the archive contains over 1000 plays and over 220 prologues. There is also a growing number of theatre playbills of the last three decades of the 20th century. Finally, there is a considerable number of doctoral theses carried out at Greek and foreign universities, in the academic field of the History of the Modern Greek Theatre. The project is a reference point for the academic theatre commutiny and sevelar scientific works and doctoral theses have been supported by the collected archival information.
Electronic processing of material
The material is being recorded in its entirety in an electronic calendar of tours and daily performances of Greek repertory companies in urban centres of the eastern Mediterranean.
The aim of the program is the creation of three more electronic indeces:
A. Biographical and theatre-related record of Greek actors from the early 19th to the early 20th century.
B. Record of playwrihts and translators related to the theatre from the early 19th to the early 20th century.
C. Topographical atlas of theatres and outdoor performance sites.
Services
The archive of the History of the Modern Geek Theatre is accessible only upon application to those responsible.
The following are required for the use of the archive:
a) an application (to be completed at the IMS)
b) a letter of recommendation or a certificate confirming the status of the interested party
