MAMI review
MAMI means mother. MAMI is the newest work of Mario Banushi, the 26-year-old Albanian-born director, who has been hailed internationally as the wunderkind of Greek theatre. It follows his trilogy of show, Ragada (2022), Goodbye, Lindita(2023), and Taverna Miresia-Mario, Bella, Anastasia(2023) While the previous works were centred around the rituals of mourning, this new show is centred around life. It premiered at Onassis Stegi, in Athens, on 6th February 2025
Andreas Simopoulos for Onassis Stegi
Banushi’s new piece is inspired by all the women in his life, young and old, with whom he grew up. Until he was 13, he called his grandmother, who he grew up with, ‘’mami’’ while he called his mother by her name. He was in Albania until he was six and was then taken away by his mother to Athens. MAMI, as he said on his instagram account, is dedicated to his mother, whom he couldn’t call by that name previously. Banushi dedicates the title to her.
Banushi’s previous performances were largely without words, and instead featured strong images (which can often say a lot more than words). As in his previous work, the piece features a soundscape etched with personal and collective memory. In this case, these sounds are a howling dog in the background, crickets chirping or human-related sounds created by the performers. These sounds are joined by original music composed by Jeph Vanger, who along with the set and costume design of Sotiris Melanos, and of course the director’s eye of Banushi, come together to create a visual poem on the theme of motherhood.