Adelaide Cabaret Festival: Taxithi – An Australian Odyssey

Taxithi – An Australian Odyssey is a poignant and important work about the untold stories of women who migrated from Greece to Australia in the 50’s and 60’s. The immensely talented Helen Yotis Patterson, Maria Mercedes and Artemis Ioannides share their hearts and souls with the audience as they inhabit the lives of these courageous women on their journey to Australia.

The stories give us insight into the struggle, the joy, the tragedy and the laughter of these and in turn millions of those from other lands who now call Australia home. These tales are interwoven with beautiful Greek song, and even though I didn’t understand the words, they were sung with so much passion and emotion, I felt transported to one of those ships, waving goodbye to Greece and my loved ones, carried along to the happiness of family gatherings, feeling the exhilaration of dancing and the pain of loss.

The staging was simple and clever and as the characters wove themselves through the veils, we are reminded of the fragility of life in a new land and how difficult it must have been to come out from the shadows. Musical Director and pianist Andrew Patterson and bouzouki player Jacob Papadopoulos add perfect flavour and depth as their music sweeps us along with the emotion of the scenes.

Throughout this wonderful work, we are reminded of the sacrifices, the hopes and the dreams of what it means to be a migrant and today, perhaps more than ever, it is important that we listen to each other’s stories.

Helen, Maria and Artemis are modern-day Muses in every sense of the word and their generosity to share their storytelling, song and dance with us so completely, is inspiring. Taxithi – An Australian Odyssey is a heartfelt portrayal of everyday Greek legends – the family heroes who forged a path in a new world and even ‘though troubles may come, in the end (as in life) we are left on a joyous high with traditional song and celebration of life. The Muses have done well.