“In the garbage of the Ministry of Culture
the theatrical history of 3 centuries”
Despite the constant and long – drawn – out appeals of its Committee to the Greek Minister of Culture and Tourism the unique and so valuable “HELLENIC THEATRE MUSEUM” is closing down, due to unbearable and intractable economical problems. The idea of creating a THEATRE MUSEUM in Athens started in 1938, with the purpose of including, not only personal exhibits, belongings, authentic costumes and photographs of great Greek protagonists and their performances, but also the most important archives of the Greek and foreign theatrical history of three long centuries (from the years before and after the Greek Revolution of 1821 until today), that is, Greek and foreign theatrical plays, programs, photos, posters, biographies, publications (critiques, interviews, reviews, articles concerning the Theatre on the whole) since 1896, radiotaped and unique videotaped performances of winter and summer theatrical periods since 1984.
The “Hellenic Theatre Museum” is cited in the basement of the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Athens since 1977, a place totally sunless and dark, between mice, cockroaches and any other kind of dangerous insects, not only for the Personnel that is working there daily, but also for all the visitors and the valuable exhibits.
The total dullness, insensibility, unconcern of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism, mainly now that the economic crisis has come to our door and leads the majority of people towards poverty, has led the 14 people of the Museum’s Personnel to be on strike, after 4 months that they are unpaid, although the subsidy from the Ministry (100% the last 40 years) is very low, thinking of the importance of the Museum throughout the Balkanian countries and the whole of Europe.
A theatrical ark that is of service and helps daily hundreds of pupils all over Greece, theatre Professors and students all over the world, reporters, journalists, theatre directors, actors and the whole of the theatre community, a so important source of theatrical history, education and culture, but also a wonderful visiting place for the tourists, is led towards degradation and decline.
We are protesting for the economic and cultural corruption that we are all experiencing and we ask for your support and concern throughout our unequal and unfair battle to stay alive, active and effective._
The personnel of the “Hellenic Theatre Museum”