In 2008, 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos became an icon of youthful rebellion after he was shot by a policeman – triggering an unprecedented storm of protests against the corrupted political system in Greece. In their continued search for a modern Antigone in present-day resistance, Motus emerges with this documentary theatre piece of uncompromising theatricality. Alexis is their poetic call to action.
Motus was founded in Rimini in 1991 by Enrico Casagrande and Daniela Francesconi Nicolò. Both were studying in Urbino, where they met while taking part in the university theatre group “Atarassia” and E.A.S.T. (European Associations of Students of Theatre). Following their graduation (respectively in History of Economics and Sociology), they moved to Rimini where was born the idea of founding an independent group initially called “Opere dell’Ingegno” (“Works of the mind”). That same year, they created Stati d’assedio, inspired by Albert Camus’ play L’état de siège, a show which saw the audience’s involvement in an itinerant performance. Right from this first experience (“First Prize Coordination Young Italian Artists”, Spazio Proposta, Santarcangelo Festival ’91) was defined the “polymorphic” nature of this artistic group: on top of actors, the project included musicians, graphic artists and sculptors.
