Anna Panayiotopoulou
«Television comedy is not doing well,» said Anna Panayiotopoulou with little hesitation, «though it is not the artists that are at fault, but the channels themselves that always demand the same thing. «After one success, many versions of the same thing appear. For example, since ‘Treis Harites,’ similar comedies about cohabitation have been showing for three years. «TV channels and fantasy are two incompatible concepts. Love, enthusiasm, originality and a viewpoint are missing. Comedy cannot succeed when it is controlled by television ratings. «The public is open to new things but is not given a chance to see them. The main concern of TV channels is how much advertising something brings in. This is what we are all worth… and we have all fallen for it.» Can creators impose their own terms? «No. Only when they have some success to their credit can they put something of their own into it.» The discussion switches to that of the Free Theater. «Another era, a romantic era. Today the way of life and conditions for creativity are different. Competition is fierce; money is more important. Under the dictatorship, we took on other jobs to earn a living, so as not to make compromises in the theater. «We wanted to change everything.»
