Breaking Plates

The Philip Carter Family Concert Hall, The Piano, Christchurch

From the Promo:

Some traditions were meant to be broken

Breaking plates is a long-held tradition in Greece used to ward off evil spirits that were thought to be lurking around happy occasions such as weddings and Christenings.

Nowadays, it has become more a show of abundance and having a ‘smashing’ great time. This was the case at The Santorini Greek Restaurant in Christchurch, where every night Yorgo, with his fun-loving family ensures that a great Greek experience and a rip-roaring time is had by all.

All is not as it seems though as Yorgo lives in a time warp imposing his long held, firmly imbedded, traditions and beliefs on his children.

When the Earth’s plates begin to move in Christchurch, Yorgo’s beliefs are put to the test as the whole city lays down their differences bonding together as one to rebuild their fallen city and find new hope.

Breaking Plates the musical explores the plight of every immigrant trying to adapt to a new unfamiliar environment while clutching firmly to their own long held traditions and beliefs in order to maintain some semblance of home.

The Birth of a Musical

Around 10 years ago in February 2011 a devastating earthquake hit Christchurch destroying a huge part of the city.

At that time I was happily running my restaurant, The Santorini Greek Ouzeri, in the central city Christchurch. This was my dream come true dancing and playing my bouzouki every night to a raucous crowd. My life was all sorted, (so I thought), the intention being to carry on like this till the day I die. Together with my wife, my mother, my three sons, and pretty much most of my nephews and nieces, we immersed ourselves in that feeling of being in Greece.

It all came to an abrupt end the day of the earthquake when the restaurant was demolished and my whole world fell apart around me. When I wasn’t out helping friends and the community I would console myself sitting around at home playing my bouzouki.

Every day I would be thinking about rebuilding the restaurant, but my heart somehow wasn’t in it any more. When my friends would come round I would find myself enthusiastically recounting countless stories, some funny, some sad, about all the happenings in the restaurant and people I had met and known in my almost forty years in the hospitality industry.

A lot of the stories were about immigrants and the issues they faced trying to assimilate in a multicultural society and the difficulties of trying to give up one's own traditions, values and beliefs. At the same time I could see around me how, as a result of the earthquake, regardless of religion or race, a community spirit abounded bringing people together to help each other rebuild their broken dreams and their broken city.

Even though the earthquake had a bad side, there was this good side rising up from the ruins. The community was brushing aside their prejudices, narrowing the divide and firing up new feelings of this city they were rebuilding together as being their true home. They had a new clean slate to build on. A new city with new beginnings.

Their city.

One day the apple fell. Here is a story that had to be told. I would put all this together and write a book. But then, what about my love of music. Yes! That’s it! I’ll write a musical. The first port of call was to go on the internet and Google “how to write a musical”. Bad decision. Google sends me to “Writing Musicals 101”. The first sentence is “If you are contemplating writing a musical… DON’T” It then goes on to tell you of the relentless difficulties you will face. But, I had a story that had to be told and my passion was music so no way was I turning back. After five years I had finished my musical (so I thought) and was ready to take it to the world. First step was to have someone who knows about these things to read it. Lots of rejections until one day with the help of Ro Dalziel who was working with the Court Theatre in Christchurch we put together a reading to gauge the response. The reading was attended by a few experts in the field including Ravil Atlas who had years of Broadway experience. At the end of the reading Ravil stood up announcing (in his own words) “You nailed the dialogue, you nailed the music”. This got me really excited but then when Ravil later met with me he explained that the story and the music was all there but it needed “A lot of work” and he was keen to help. After another three years working with Ravil, Deen Coulson, an accomplished musician, came on board to help with arrangements and scoring of the songs. Another two years later with lots of revisions and new songs the musical was finally ready to hit the stage. Although the story I have written is set in what was once The Santorini Greek Ouzeri Restaurant, all the characters portrayed in the story are purely fictional, made up from snippets of past experiences with many people, particularly immigrants, that I have met during my life in New Zealand and bear no resemblance whatsoever to me, my family, or any other person for that matter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed creating it.

Costa Kerdemelidis [Mr Santorini]

Written and Composed by: Costa Kerdemelidis

Directed by: Ravil Atlas

Musical Director and Orchestrator: Deen Coulson

Starring: Michael Bayly (Yorgo)

Alyssa Parkinson (Agapi)

Daniel Brown (Ali)

Mathew Hatten (Achilles)

Donna Palmer (Yiayia)

Angus Howat (Damien)

Scott Christie (Stavros)

Eli Davis (Jason)

Blair McHugh (Mohammed)

Franciska's Review:

This was my first time at The Piano; and what a lovely venue it is! Despite being a full house, the theatre felt intimate; as if we were one of the guests in The Santorini restaurant. Of course, being seated just three rows from the stage no doubt helped.

The first Act was one big party. The music, the dancing, the humour, all lifting the audience's spirits to soaring heights. I haven't a doubt that I wasn't alone in wanting to join the party.

However, there was a darkness looming and as the second Act unfolded, I began feeling uneasy, wondering when disaster was going to strike. Despite being forewarned, my heart skipped a beat as the theatre quite literally began shaking.

The collective weight of the emotions being experienced within the theatre was palpable. I wasn't living in Christchurch at the time of the devastating earthquake that took 185 lives, but in recent times I have heard numerous stories - from the heartwarming stories of courage and survival, to heartbreaking stories of loss and simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The characters and storyline of Breaking Plates pulled me straight into the reality of what the people of Christchurch endured - as if I was experiencing it right along with them.

I was left reflecting upon my own life and losses; and grateful for all that I have today. I am especially grateful for all the wonderful humans who play a role in my life. So many wonderful humans in far away places; some truly wonderful humans who have welcomed me into my new home city; and a special someone that I had the pleasure of sharing this theatre experience with.

Opa!