Cyprus Theatre Organisation

12.1.2023

The 2022 Thoc Theatre Awards

About THOC / THOC Theatre Awards

The Cyprus Theatre Organisation is pleased to announce the names of the creators whose work in 2022 has been judged particularly outstanding, recognising their talent and their enormous contribution to the artistic life of the country.

The Thoc Grand Prize

The 2022 Thoc Grand Prize has been awarded to the director, translator, producer, writer, and theatre critic, Maria Mannaridou-Karsera. She is a creator with a constantly enquiring nature, never content to rest on her laurels, whose multi-faceted career over the last thirty years, from her start at Theatro Ena to her artistic pursuits with her own theatre group, Solo for Three, has consistently been defined by hard work and a bold, tireless, and tenacious spirit. She is an artist who tackles the modern repertoire with seriousness, humility, and a clear vision, while also showing particular sensitivity and commitment to domestic drama, empowering young Cypriot creators by giving them a forum where their voices can be heard.

In 2022, she showed herself to be at the height of her powers in the plays she directed for Solo for Three: "Foteini" by Evrydiki Perikleous-Papadopoulou, "A Prisoner of War's Story" by Stratis Doukas, and "The Audit (or Iceland, A Modern Myth)" by Andrew Westside and Proto-type Theater.

* The award is accompanied by an offer of work from Thoc and a cash prize of 5,000 euros.

Creator of the Year

The 2022 Creator of the Year is set and costume designer Edouard Georgiou, who has been honoured for his outstanding work last year on “The Makrykostases and the Kontogiorgides” by Alekos Sakellarios and Christos Giannakopoulos, directed by Panagiotis Larkou (Thoc), and "Dancing at Lughnasa" by Brian Friel, directed by Lea Maleni (Persona Theatre Group).

His work was perfectly tailored to the directorial demands of both productions, but also added to them, enhancing the plays in a creative, inventive, but also functional way.

In “Makrykostases and Kontogiorgides" his attention to detail and intensely playful visual sense created images overflowing with joy, originality, and an instinctive theatricality.

In "Dancing at Lughnasa" he focused on authenticity, using realism and remarkable accuracy to create a world that foregrounded the characters and the story while drawing the audience into it.

The other nominees were:
Anna Yiagkiozi, Actress
Panos Makris, Actor
Fotis Nikolaou, Choreographer/Movement Teacher

*The award is accompanied by an offer of work from Thoc and a cash prize of 3,000 euros.

Young Creator of the Year

Antreas Koutsoftas has been named Young Creator of the Year for 2022. Last year, he distinguished himself in a series of plays and gave outstanding performances in "Biomagic" by Marianna Kalbari, directed by Eleni Anastasiou, "Around the World in 80 Days" by Jules Verne, directed by Marios Kakoullis (Thoc), "Before the German’s Here" by Marta Barcelo, directed by Kostas Silvestros (Hamm Broductions), and "The Night Alive" by Conor McPherson, directed by Varnavas Kyriazis (Dionysos Theatre).

What makes Antreas Koutsoftas so promising as an actor, is his combination of physicality, immediacy, honesty, alertness, and veracity. His technique, meanwhile, gives him an adaptability in approaching the challenges of each role and a sincerity in expressing emotions, giving each performance a different resonance.

* The award is accompanied by an offer of work from Thoc and a cash prize of 3,000 euros.

The other nominees were:
Constantina Andreou, Set & Costume Designer
Anastasia Dimitriadou (Nama Dama), Musician, Performer
Angelos Hatzimihail, Actor

The jury for the 2022 Thoc Theatre Awards:
President    
Antigoni Papafilippou, President of Thoc’s Board of Directors

Members    
Kyriaki Argyrou, Thoc theatrologist
Maria Kafkaridou, Theatre and literary scholar
Giorgos Papageorgiou, Composer
Thanasis Fotiou, Journalist

Information about the award ceremony will be announced at a later date.