Coperta — the performers “the golden rule: never underestimate children.”
The trio first met during a workshop led by director Andrea Buzzetti. Today, soprano Mária Devitzaki, clown Joe Del-Toe and dancer Melina Bountzika are the proud creators and performers of Rotondes’ latest show for young audiences, Coperta.
We caught up with them to talk about how the project came together and what they discovered along the way.
Hello all three of you! Fate brought you together in 2024 during a workshop that doubled as an audition. What made you want to take part in it?
Mária: I’d been involved in a few productions for young audiences during my studies, and I thought it would be interesting to get back into it. Plus, Andrea was leading the workshop – he’s a real authority in the field! But I never imagined I’d end up being chosen for the show.
Melina: Same here. I signed up because the workshop itself sounded great. Obviously, the audition aspect was appealing too, but I mainly wanted to learn, make the most of it, and see what I could take back to my own work.
Did you notice each other during the workshop? What were your first impressions?
Joe: Not straight away, no. I tend to get nervous around large groups, so it was a bit overwhelming being surrounded by so many new and talented artists over those two days.
Mária: Yes, there were loads of us, and at the start we spent a lot of time working in small groups that kept changing. I mainly just focused on what I was doing in the moment, rather than thinking ahead about who I might end up working with later.
Melina: I actually remember really clearly feeling a strong connection with both Joe and Mária at different times during the workshop, moments when we worked together, and it just clicked.
Once you’d all officially joined the project, did you find your rhythm quickly?
Melina: The first week was mainly improvisation work. I could tell straight away that we were compatible. We complement each other really well.
Mária: It happened very naturally. We don’t know exactly why Andrea chose us, but I think it’s because we’re all genuine team players.
Joe: We’ve got different energies, but somehow we’re on the same wavelength. Andrea said he picked us because we’re able to listen to the audience and respond to what they’re giving us.
Mária: There’s also a good balance between us because we stay tuned in to each other – none of us are just there to do our own thing.
Melina: Exactly. We’re all fully invested, and we care about what the others are doing. We’re a proper team; it’s a real collaboration.
One distinctive thing about Andrea’s work is that he uses very few props in his shows. Did that make things easier or harder for you?
Mária: We started with just a blanket, and the challenge was to explore everything it could become. It can be really tricky to find all the different ways to use it.
Joe: But once you accept the limitation, you sort of break through and things get easier.
Mária: You end up creating a whole world out of almost nothing, which is really satisfying. And as a performer, you’re in a position where you can’t rely on props to bail you out or help you along. You have to stay constantly connected with the people on stage with you.
Are there particular “rules” to bear in mind when performing for young audiences? Is it different from performing for adults?
Joe: For a clown, not really. But the context here is different, so I adapt accordingly.
Melina: You need to get the pacing of the scenes right so the children don’t get bored. You also have to expect the unexpected – their reactions can be quite unpredictable. But most importantly, you shouldn’t treat them as ‘just kids’ that you have to make laugh by doing silly things.
Mária: Exactly. People sometimes simplify theatre for children, throwing in easy jokes, but kids are sharper than we give them credit for. They’re sensitive, and they’ve got great senses of humour. The golden rule is never to underestimate them.