Immerse yourself in theatre experience on love

Upcoming performance in English invites audience to get involved in what is happening on stage finds ELENI PHILIPPOU

Have you ever been to a theatre performance that is built around audience interaction? One such event is coming up in Nicosia shortly and it will engage with audience members directly as the performer dives into the many layers of love and romance today. What’s more, this performance is entirely in English!

La Patronne is an immersive theatre experience conceived by Natalia Panagiotou and produced by the Yasemin Collective. Experience is a keyword here as it is not an ordinary sit-down-and-watch performance. The upcoming show on Saturday at Entos ton Technwn will be a different kind of theatrical experience for those who attend, who might be called on to interact with the performer.

While a structure to the performance exists, what is special about this show is that it breaks the norms of theatre as the performer addresses and engages with the audience and uses the whole space to create an atmosphere.

“As a performer, this element is challenging, surprising and unique as you only get this audience and a specific reaction once,” Natalia said. “Nothing is the same from one performance to another and I think this is the reason why I had people who came more than once to experience this performance.”

Blending performance and improvisation, La Patronne explores feelings of love, the search for romance and the ways people fall in love nowadays. Explaining the idea behind the performance, Natalia said: “The topic of the performance came to me when I noticed that more and more people around me complain about not finding ‘the one’ or not being able to fall in love or invest in a relationship.

“I had the idea to create this persona – La Patronne – who is from France and she knows everything about love, a guru let’s say. She is a boss lady, mysterious, hilarious, intimidating and funny. I needed to create a persona that is able to have these characteristics so she can ask the audience anything without fear. As I studied Theatre and worked in France, I had the chance to observe closely how French culture celebrates love and romance. So, what better than choosing La Patronne to be French and fearless?”

The first time the performance was presented was in 2023 at the Open Up Nicosia Festival. Then, it lasted just 20 minutes but now Natalia has developed the material into a one-hour-show, suitable for both locals and foreigners in Cyprus.

“I chose to create this performance fully in English as I didn’t want to limit the audience based on language. Almost all of the communities living in Cyprus use the English language and it’s something they have in common, just like love is a universal and common language.” So, if you are ready to play the game, and experience a night of wonder, mystery and laughs, La Patronne will be waiting for you in old Nicosia.

La Patronne: The female boss in French

Interactive theatre performance with Natalia Panagiotou. March 9. Entos twn Texnwn, Nicosia. 8.30pm. In English. For 18+. €10. www.yasemincollective.com/events. Tel: 97-681858