fortyfivedownstairs to Premiere TAXITHI - AN AUSTRALIAN ODYSSEY
By: Tyler Peterson Jan. 29, 2016
Inspired by the untold true stories of women who migrated from Greece to Australia in the 1950s and 60s, TAXITHI melds the passionate music of their homeland with poignant memories of their courageous journey. These stories resonate with the strength of women who made new lives, creating an indelible impression on a faraway country.
Directed by Petra Kalive with Musical Direction by Andrew Patterson, TAXITHI features the outstanding talents of performers Helen Yotis Patterson (SBS's RocKwiz), Artemis Ioannides (ABC's A Beautiful Lie) and recent Green Room Award recipient Maria Mercedes (Sunset Boulevard, Love Never Dies and Master Class).
Mary Lou Jelbart, co-founder and artistic director of fortyfivedownstairs says, TAXITHI is the complete package: "The most memorable theatre speaks directly to the heart, as well as the head. When Helen Yotis Patterson brought TAXITHI to fortyfivedownstairs, I heard a work that brought back memories, moved an audience to tears, and then made them get up and dance!"
For Helen Yotis Patterson, bringing TAXITHI to the stage has been a deeply personal experience: "Through these women I have found the core of my Greek identity. We children of migrants carry an old pain that is rarely expressed or even acknowledged. Like a puzzle, each piece has revealed to me something I had no idea I was missing. This is my heritage and my loving gift to my family and ancestors. It is an important part of Australia's history, these stories must become apart of our collective memory."
As the conversation around immigration in Australian continues to inspire such passionate debate, TAXITHI reminds us of the humanity behind the statistics and asks, what does it really take to leave your home and travel the world in search of a new life?
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