DVD release of Dimitris Papaioannou’s mega-hit ‘2’
A production that aroused a great deal of enthusiasm and became a blockbuster, filling a 1,700-seat theater for an entire season, Dimitris Papaioannou’s much discussed «2» – the choreographer’s first project following the Athens 2004 Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies – has just been released in DVD form by Modern Times. Besides being a welcome addition to anyone’s DVD library, «2» features two versions of the performance, both directed by Athina Tsangari. The first version showcases a traditional filming of the performance shot from the theater’s auditorium, reflecting the way audiences experienced it at the Pallas Theater last year. The second version, in which Tsangari’s creative role in the direction was further enhanced through a collaboration with Matt Johnson, is a representation of the performance beyond naturalism. In this latter version, the director takes the camera straight into the heart of the production’s action, capturing characters, moments, details as well as broader combinations on stage – in an entirely new reading of «2.» Extras Apart from the above, the new DVD features a series of extra material, including backstage action, the anxiety of the participating cast for everything to go well on stage, the trailers shown on television, as well as a video clip featuring the production’s original music score by Constantinos Vita. Also part of the DVD is a 54-page booklet (in both Greek and English) featuring texts along with previously unpublished photographs and sketches by Papaioannou.
