The Shadow of the Fly is a production by the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, in collaboration with The Shoe on the Tree Theatre, marking the start of its off-theatre activities. This one-act play addresses the topic of overtourism and the short-term rental phenomenon, which has surged in Greece over the past two decades. It explores the impact of this trend on mental health, human relationships, and the changing face of neighborhoods, which, as playwright Valentina Papadimitraki notes, are “being transformed violently.”
The central character is an everyday Piraeus woman, in the middle of her life, who decided to embrace the advantages she thought would come from turning her own home into a short-term rental, allowing her to travel and support her son studying in Thessaloniki.
The play is set in a Piraeus café (performed in local cafes), bustling with foreign tourists waiting for a tour. The protagonist (portrayed uniquely by Sofia Liakou) reflects on the changes in her life that led her to this crucial decision, with silent support from Stavros the café owner (played by Tasos Karakiklas, who also directs the performance).
The creative team includes Valentina Papadimitraki, Sofia Liakou, Tasos Karakiklas, Fotis Siotas on music (including a beautiful original song for the play), Vasso Giareni on costumes, and Stelios Angelidis and Simos Giannakos on photography.
A co-production of «To Θέατρο του παπουτσιού πάνω στο δέντρο» and the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, the play will be performed in cafés around Piraeus on Mondays and Wednesdays throughout November, running until December 9. Valentina Papadimitraki discussed the play and production on Voice of Greece, as a guest in the studio of Take Your Time.