George Partsalakis
An actor from Chania
“Civilization supports society and society supports civilization especially during these times of hardship that Greece lives through” mentioned in an interview to “In-On’ magazine, the actor from Chania, George Partsalakis.
Theatre –he stressed- is a part of our civilization which covers the spiritual needs of the audience and gives answers to the problems of every period in time. The course of my stagecraft -he continued- has been determined by Alexis Minotis, Pellos Katselis and Aleka Katselis. George Partsalakis was born in 1951 in Kaloudiana-Kissamos in the prefecture of Chania in Crete.
He moved to Athens in 1969 where he attended the Drama School of Pellos and Aleka Katselis. In 1973, he finished his studies and during the summer of the same year he worked for the first time in the classical theatre of Rhodes.
In 1976 with the Theatre Association of Crete he played a part in “Panoria” by Chortatsis. However, a performance on Lycabetus that time was the reason why his acquaintance with Alexis Minotis commenced.
The theatrical play that was put up on Lycabetus –he said- with other colleagues triggered the interest of the great actors of that time, resulting in having Alexis Minotis (the director of the National Theatre), Manos Katrakis among others in the audience.
“This performance was my ticket for the National Theatre. I asked Alexis Minotis to work in the National Theatre and he replied that I had to wait to be informed. Actually, I did not have to wait long and in six months (October 1977) I was working by Alexis Minotis’ side for 15 consecutive years serving all theatre forms”, emphasized the Cretan actor.
The first theatrical play in the National Theatre that I participated was entitled “Hourmouzis’ servant”. I have also participated in: “Plutus” by Aristophanes, in “Ecclesiazusae” by Aristophanes, in “Oedipus at Colonus” by Sophocles, (Alexis Minotis performed the role of Oedipus which was his last performance), in “Bacchae” by Euripides, in “Phoenician Women” by Euripides, “King Lear” by Shakespeare, “Father” by Strindberg, “The sonata of ghosts” by Strindberg, “Exile” by Matesis, “Match” by Maniotis, “Straw hat” by Lambis, “A hopeless tangle” by Laskaris, “The murder of Maras” by Peter Weiss, “Midnight summer dream” by Shakespeare, “Knife in the bone” by Mourselas, “The three sisters” by Chekhov, “Robbers” by Schiller and the last performance by the National Theatre was in Herodium with the play “The Knights” by Aristophanes, in the role of Paflagonas.
In 1991, I quit the National Theatre and played with Katia Dandoulaki in “Dyonissia” Theatre and since then this struggle goes on till today. In the summer of 2000, I returned to the National Theatre as Trygaeos in “Peace” by Aristophanes (Carolos Koun Prize Performance 2000).
Since 1973, I have participated in 80 theatrical plays.
George Partsalakis started working on T.V in 1978 performing on the program “Theatre on Monday”, where he acted in plays such as the “Émigrés” by Brozek, and “Fon Demitrakis” by D.Psathas (in the title role)
More specifically, he clarified, in the Hellenic Broadcasting and Television I acted in “Hard Land” and on the radio I participated in theatrical plays. Since 1989, I have participated in series for about 20 years, some of which were successful and others not so much. This season along with Peggy Trikalioti, Krateros Katsoulis and Jenny Theona, we are planning to put up a modern theatrical American drama that has to do with war correspondents. This will be realized in Athens in the “Alpha” Theatre.
If I have to recall what theatre has offered to me in those 37 years of work, I can only think of good things since bad moments seem unimportant. I have worked honestly on T.V”.
Source of publication 11th edition In-On