Greece

[Butterfly Man]

I will be traveling to Greece soon and would like to know if anyone has ever performed street shows in Athens or on any of the islands ... I hear there are shows sometimes in Kydathineon in Placa but I don't know anything about what kind or when and would love to know anything about the area. cool.gif

[Butterfly Man]

Info on Athens from Akron (thanks to pnet for keeping us in touch)
and I quote:

<<Quote>>

"The square in Plaka you mentioned is great, loads of tourists, busy every night of spring through Fall.... Never the less people will send you there and tell you it is where you should work. For athens some of the Numerous better options include. Syntagma Square at the top of Ermou street (the police will probably kick you out but it is a sweet show and must be done at least once) Kapanakaras Sqware (I know i didnt spell that right)at the bottom of Ermou St. is small but very workable but dont go near there during the Orthodox Easter. As for the islands take your pick hop around. Hania on Crete is a pretty good bet for May but i havnt tried it tourism has been really really shit, sucks for performing but great if you happen to be a tourist so what theyve done to sponser local tourism is offer these handy booklets at the KIOSKS with offers inside like you stay at a hotel on any of the various islands for the price of the breakfast.

a taxi from the airport to the center is usually about 18 euro they will try to charge you 50 i pay them between between 20-25 depending on traffic.

the bus to the center is just over 2 euro each

if u get the chance try the stuff from kalamatta."

<<end quote>>


Disclaimer: I have no idea what the "stuff" is that he is talking about.

[Rich Potter]

It's been a few years, but I did some of my first street shows at Zappaion (sp?)

I was there during Greek Carnevale (Feb/March, 1989) but they don't call it Carnevale. Without having a show, and speaking only about 4 words of Greek, and possessing only 3 clubs, 5 balls and a hat, I started doing tricks. A crowd quickly formed.

After about 3 minutes, someone ran up to me, grabbed my hat, and threw it on the ground. Then threw money into it. Then someone else did. Then someone else. After about an hour of just farting around, I had about 60 bucks US. I guess I still woulda made more money with the "I'm Homeless Man" schtick.

Not bad for just farting around. Don't know how the Euro and the economy of the last 15 years has affected that pitch, but I remember it fondly and I remember it being very forgiving there. Of course, it WAS a holiday weekend.

Maybe it was spelled "Zappion"? Zappeion?

Freakin' Greek letters!

--Rich

[Butterfly Man]

Street performing in Athens is centered around the Monastiraki area.

The only pitch pitch big enough for circle shows was around the Byzantine church located @ the corner of Ermou and Kapnikareas. The best spot is underneath “Mark & Spencer” sign ... the ever present Andean band was there when I arrived so I walked a bit farther down Ermou street and found a smaller spot midway off a small street called Fokionos between some shops.

I saw there was a possibility to do shows around a big church square @ Plateia Mitropoleos as well but no one was performing because of the heat.


Other than the above, I only saw only a few accordian players strolling through cafés and a crate slug mime working a small spot on Adrianou street.

Don’t forget to visit at the juggling shop on the corner of Kyrristou and Erehtheos and say “Yassas” to on Adrianou

They’re everywhere now!

And they all have cell phones!

A most obnoxious combination!

Loud ... very loud!

An ugly language too ...

makes even the Dutch cringe.

And the way people treat each other ... what’s the problem?

Did everybody just move here from New York?

These people are hateful and they have no rules What am I supposed to do ... imagine what those buildings looked like?

Sure, OK no problem ... and the name? ...what was that again? ... the Erechtheion? ... yeah, I’ll remember that ... sure I will.

It probably was a nice place back then ... before cell phones.

Must everyone yell?

One night I listened to a couple scream at each other for five fuckin’ hours.

He had this nasty monotone deliverly and she would explode into a high volumed rant every five minutes or so ... I didn’t understand a word of what they were saying but I could sure tell they were pissed off.

But I think most Greeks are pissed off ... or at least when they are with other Greeks.

If you ever see a Greek alone they whistle and are generally quite cheerful.

[santropez pete]

take a look at my busking site a few tips for greece
http://streetbuskers.homestead.com/streetbuskers~ns4.html