In July 2017 the Young People’s Stage of The National Theatre of Greece launched the project “Theatre in Greek”, an intensive drama workshop which used drama as a tool for learning Greek as a foreign language.

At the workshop – under the guidance of Mrs Sofia Vienopoulou, director and head of the Young Peoples' Stage – participated 20 refugees - aged 14-19, coming from Open Accommodation structures (domes) and Transit Accommodation Facilities for Unaccompanied Minors, 5 Greek teenagers – participants of past workshops – and a group of 10 actors of the National Theatre’s troupe. The uniting force of this intercultural group was the belief that theatre can truly transform people’s lives.

During the workshop were presented eight short episodes of a child’s journey, from its country torn by war to some safe place in Europe. A journey from the dangerous known to the secure unknown; a journey from childhood to adulthood. This journey was brought to life through the participant’s stories, memories, nightmares and fairytales. The outcome affirmed the power of theatre to ward off fear.

Art isn’t always beautiful neither is truth. Therefore, we explored theatre’s beauty in its tools rather than in its content. Our aim was to get to know each other through our stories, to truly look in each other’s eyes and touch one another, in order to truly be able to share. Only when we free ourselves from prejudices do we manage to endure loss, fragility, solitude, shame and death itself.

Being part of a group strengthens the sense of trust, which combined with the delight of collective creativity facilitates the procedure of bonding. This “journey” proved to be a necessary course of action in helping these children to adjust and interact within their new cultural community/environment. And a necessary step for us all as audience to really engage with a side of current reality that we partially ignored.