Banushi’s own biography is the inspiration for this piece, which was recently seen at the Avignon Festival. It is dedicated to mothers, plural, as the artist himself was born in Albania and was left in the care of his grandmother when his mother left, on foot, to find work in neighbouring Greece. Though he also moved there at the age of six, and was educated and currently works in the country, he never forgot his roots or his grandmother, whom he called “mother”, or his young biological mother, whom he saw frequently. In this relationship, and in the creator’s personal universe, love is nourishment. 

Mami is a new showcase of the talent and highly visual theatre of Mario Banushi, a 26-year-old creator considered one of the most innovative figures on the current Greek scene. In 2020, when he graduated from drama school, he made his first short film, Pranvera. His theatrical debut was also during the pandemic, with a production titled Ragada, which was performed in a real house in Athens. Shortly after, in 2023, he presented Goodbye, Lindita, a wordless piece that depicted a family mourning the death of one of its members and was a great success, with audiences fascinated by Banushi’s personal stage language. His third stage creation was Taverna Miresia - Mario Bella Anastasia, a tribute to the family tavern run by his father in Albania.

Commissioned and produced by Onassis Stegi [GR]

Co-produced by  Grec 20 25 Festival Barcelona,Berliner Festspiele (DEUTSCHLAND), Odéon – Théâtre de l’Europe (France), FOG festival / Triennale Milano Teatro [(Italy),  & Espoo Theatre (Finland), Festival d’Avignon (France), Théâtre de Liège (Belgium), Noorderzon Festival / Grand Theatre Groningen (Nederlands)

Initial research & development were made possible with the support of the Onassis AiR Fellowship (Greece) and the Centre Culturel Hellénique - Paris (France)

Supported by the Onassis Stegi “Outward Turn” Cultural Export Program

With financial support from the Ministry of Culture of Greece.

In collaboration with OMAZ Civic Non-Profit Company