«Mother Tongue»
by Georgia Tsangaraki
Returns for a second year
THEATRE OF THE NO
From Monday, November 9 /Every Monday & Tuesday
A powerful female monologue about language, memory, and redemption.
THEATRE OF THE NO, Athens’ first English-speaking theatre, presents “Mother Tongue” by Georgia Tsangaraki for a second year, following its successful run in December 2025. This compelling one-woman performance returns to the stage with its opening night on Monday, 9 November, and will be performed every Monday and Tuesday at 21:00, for a limited run.
Combining stand-up comedy, spoken word, storytelling and animation, and moving fluidly between English and Greek, “Mother Tongue” explores the space between comedy and tragedy, transforming the protagonist’s personal story into an intense theatrical experience.
This year’s return is accompanied by a new initiative designed to extend the conversation around the themes explored in the play. Selected performances will be followed by open discussions with invited mental health professionals, joined by the creator, performer, director and dramatherapist Georgia Tsangaraki. The discussions will focus on sexual abuse, psychological trauma and its effects.
At the heart of the play is Skyler Doukas, a middle-aged Greek stand-up comedian living and working in London. After years away, she returns to Greece and is confronted with the defining experiences of her life: her difficult relationship with her mother, the loss of her father, and the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother’s new husband. Through humour and personal storytelling, she attempts to confront her past and redefine her relationship with it.
Director’s Note
Mother Tongue addresses the power of the mother tongue and its connection to the memories that shape us as we grow. It speaks about one’s homeland and the desires we expect it, perhaps in vain, to fulfill ,the grief of loss, and the violence of abuse that leaves a lasting mark on the victim. The goal is to create common ground between performer and audience, where the protagonist’s life experiences sometimes painful, sometimes humorous are lived and exposed in a powerful present.
Post-Performance Discussions with mental health professionals and open audience participation
Monday, 9 November: “Therapeutic Retelling of Trauma”, with Dr Athina Androutsopoulou, clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, and co-director of Logou Psychis – Institute for Training and Research in Systemic Psychotherapy.
Monday, 23 November: “The Imprint of Trauma on the Body and in Speech”, with Venetia Beneti, dramatherapist, and Georgia Tsangaraki.
Monday, 30 November: “Mother Tongue and Betrayal: The Trauma of Intimacy”, with Domna Ventouratou, clinical psychologist and EMDR trauma therapist.
Tuesday, 8 December: “The Thread of Trauma”, with Aristea Kontrafouri, dramatherapist, play therapist, actor, social theologian and scholar of religious studies, and Ioannis Pimpas, psychologist (MSc). They are co-founders and scientific directors of the psychosocial development centre “To Nima”.
Further details about the participating psychologists and specialists will be announced progressively through the theatre’s official channels throughout the run
Performance Details
Text, Direction, Performance: Georgia Tsangaraki
Assistant Director: Victoria Kokkiza
Music Composition & Soundscape: Stefanos Giakoumakis
Lighting Design: Maria Athanasopoulou
Design & Animation: Zina Papadopoulou
Set Design & Construction: Haris Germanidis
Costume Supervision: Victoria Kokkiza
Voices by: Themis Panou, Isabella Louiza Kyriazi, and Eva Germanidi
Credits:
Photography & Video: Haris Germanidis
PR & Communications: Eleftheria Sakareli
Performances: 9 November – 14 December
Every Monday & Tuesday at 21.00
Ticket price: 15€
Pre-sale: https://www.ticketmaster.gr/theatre-of-the-no-mother-tongue_sen_2008160.html
Special prices for students, actors and unemployed persons
THEATRE OF THE NO: Konstantinou Palaiologou 3, Athens | 6946851001
Website & Social Media: TheatreoftheNO I Facebook I Instagram
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