OXYGEN review
Written by Ivan Vyrypaev and directed by George Koutlis, I attended the afternoon Gen-Z Theatre Manifesto called Oxygen at Onassis Stegi, Athens, Greece. It premiered on 21st November 2024
OXYGEN © Pinelopi Gerasimou for Onassis Stegi
I can hear the sound as I take my seat. It reminds me of the noise of the oxygen machine my grandma used to put around her mouth and nostrils, to help her breathe. This music, which sounds like a heartbeat, will accompany us during the entire performance.
On stage are 25 young performers – including the DJs Reign of Time, 11 actors and 12 dancers – who are already dancing. They keep on moving constantly, as if they will drop unconscious if they don’t carry on moving. Like the oxygen machine, it feels like their – and ours – heartbeat will stop if they stop moving. As long as the doors are open and people are entering, we are ‘’allowed’’ to take pictures and videos of what’s happening on stage. But, as soon as the doors are closed and the stalls’ lights are dimmed, the usual announcement goes off, in a distorted voice, that we are no longer ‘’allowed’’ to take pictures or videos of the performance. We are now part of their rave, part of their universe.
Read the whole review on the platform SEEstage below!