Author Archives: Roberto Bacchilega

In Its Own Right

In Its Own Right
To Multiply Voices of Palestinian Artists

To multiply the voices of Palestinian artists who believe in the importance of their practice as cultural resistance. We are echoing the stories of lives under settler colonialism, matched with our own reflections about political theatre as a way to reignite Palestinian cultural flame. Believing this is an act of political love and solidarity with those who need that we exercise our rights and freedom of speech to make echo of their legitimate claim to exist.
In Its Own Right is our theatrical answer to the call to join a global artistic collaboration with The Revolution’s Promise, a collaboration between Artists on the Frontline and The Freedom Theatre in Jenin.

Friday 16 May, 20:30
AstaroTheatro
Sint Jansstraat 37 Amsterdam
www.astarotheatro.com
www.ourfootsteps.nl 
www.therevolutionspromise.com
An AstaroTheatro Production
Entrance by Donation

My Mother is a Fish in the Mirror

My Mother is a Fish in the Mirror
An open invitation to a fluid participatory performance


While reflecting on reflections, we meet images of who we might be. Then we break free from visions of identity, for only the fish can swim across reality and its representation.
In line with AstaroTheatro’s grassroots dedication in crafting original theatrical content, this performance originates from the participants of our Regular Theatre Training. It aims at including and involving all audience in a participatory experience.

Saturday 10 May 20:30
AstaroTheatro
Sint Jansstraat 37 Amsterdam
Entrance by Donation
   

Examined Life – A Philosophical Performance

Examined Life
A Philosophical Performance


The unexamined life is not worth living, Plato says in line 38A of the Apology.
In a walk without a sound, we explore existence on a trail of physical and mental metamorphosis. We connect to the inner quest for meaning – not as immediate gratification, but as a pursuit of transformation.

In line with AstaroTheatro’s grassroots dedication in crafting original theatrical content, this performance originates from artistic materials of examined life proposed, staged and performed by the performers themselves. 

With: Cristina, Eva, Flor, Luqman, Maria, Mehdi, Roberto, Savalan, Vera

AstaroTheatro
Saturday 5 April 20:30
Sint Jansstraat 37 Amsterdam
Entrance by Donation. Cash Only

Altana Trio at AstaroTheatro

Altana Trio at AstaroTheatro
Rebetiko Songs Night

“Orestis, Panos and Kostas met at a rebetiko jam session two years ago. Their musical connection became apparent from the get-go: they share the same love for Greek urban folk (rebetiko/laiko) of the early post-war era (40s & 50s). Together they formed “Altana Trio” and have been performing in several venues in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Altana Trio strives for preserving the essence of the original recordings while at the same time injecting their own musical character into the songs and experimenting with original compositions.

Lineup:
Kostas Patsis (bouzouki, vocals)
Orestis Strymponis (bouzouki, vocals) 
Panos Tsamouras (guitar, vocals)

Friday 28 March 20:30
AstaroTheatro 
Sint Jansstraat 37 Amsterdam 
Entrance by Donation

Becoming Iphigenia – Film Screening at AstaroTheatro
By Director Reem Al Ghazzi
Documentary • 2023

 A group of young Syrian women recently resettled in Germany, come together to perform a contemporary adaptation of Euripides’ Iphigenia in a work of documentary theatre. Through workshops and rehearsals led by director Omar Abu Saada and playwright Mohamad Al Attar, the women intertwine the Greek tragedy with their personal stories, confronting patriarchy, their relationships with the fatherland they left behind, and the challenges of rebuilding their lives.
The film intimately follows their journey of self-discovery, resilience, and empowerment as they find their voices both on and off the stage.

Sunday 16 March 19:30
AstaroTheatro
Sint Jansstraat 37 Amsterdam

Solidarity VoKu for Participatory and Community Theatre

Solidarity Voku for Participatory and Community Theatre

Theatre as community experience, as a way to create awareness and support activism has been for years at the center of AstaroTheatro’s practice.
Various communities and collectives operate inside her space in a full participatory and grassroots way, challenging corporate mediocrity and creating truly authentic narratives and contra-culture in the context of defining political theatre.
This voku aims at supporting part of the current productions of our participatory theatre. AstaroTheatro is and will always be donation-based, but the costs and the financial challenges of our shared space are conspicuous. By coming and share a meal with us, you support our communities. Thank you!
Thursday 13 March, 19:00
Joe’s Garage
Pretoriusstraat 43 Amsterdam
Donation Based

Tales from the Urban Landscape

Tales from the Urban Landscapes
An evening about cities, their structure, how they shape us and how we inhabit and interact with them.

Double Bill: About the wolf Volewyck & The Want

About the wolf Volewyck: tells the story of the early stage capitalist amsterdam, where the Seagull arrives at the north east entrance and faces his dear friend who guards the gate, but the seagull is not allowed to enter, because he arrived too late.
Narrated by: Eva Delville

The Want: The Dealer is always there to remind you that ‘you must want something’ while the buyer doesn’t want to play this persona at all. Instead he’d rather live in the nature of the mountains where he comes from and play his bilur.
Anyway be aware that you are nothing but a consumer in a consumers’ world. Unless you don’t want The Want.
Harun Turan: Bilur and Performance
Roberto Bacchilega: Performance

Friday 21 February 20:30
AstaroTheatro
Sint Jansstraat 37 Amsterdam
Entrance by Donation

Mosaic Rebetiko Trio at AstaroTheatro

Mosaic Rebetiko Trio at AstaroTheatro

Mosaic is a Rebetiko trio based in the Netherlands. Rebetiko is a genre of urban Greek folk music that flourished in the 20’s-50’s and was highly influenced by musical traditions of the Near East. For Mosaic’s band members, the essence of rebetiko is in sharing and collectively creating. It holds a very dear place in their heart, and it is this warmth that they wish to convey to their audience.

Saturday 22 February 20:30
AstaroTheatro
Sint Jansstraat 37 Amsterdam
Entrance by Donation

Clay Instrument Making Workshop

Clay Instrument Making Workshop


We will learn how to use clay, to shape a chamber of wind that allows sound production. Ocarina is one of the flutes we can make using clay and it’s associated with special tuning. What if we want to create more irregular instruments with more personal tunes that we simply like?

We will have time to find out what we want our instruments to sound like and which playing technique is closer to our reach. This one-day extendable workshop will give the base of this research, teaching how to work with clay, how to create a wind mouth piece, and to open the way towards development of your own instrument.

Friday 14 February 13:00
AstaroTheatro
Sint Jansstraat 37 Amsterdam
Free participation. Donations welcome
More info: info@ourfootsteps.nl