On Wednesday, January 31st, the homeless theater group "Walkabout" of Equal Society presented the comedy by the classic French author Pierre de Marivaux, "The Island of Slaves."

"Stathmos Theater" was filled with soul, madness, teachings, surrealism, and the heroes of the creation, Harlequin, Iphicrates, Trivelino, Euphrosyne, and Cleanthis, came to life through the figures of Christodoulos, George, Dimitris, Orthodoxy, Nana, and Giannis.

How do you put a group of homeless people on stage to present a dark comedy from the 17th century? How do you manage to inspire people with shattered daily lives to courageously deliver lessons of humanity for a better world? How do you ultimately direct a classic text and succeed in captivating actors and audience members in a whirlwind of emotions in just one hour?

The homeless theater group, "Walkabout," has had, since its inception, the unique goal of helping the "actors" involved to believe in themselves again and to mobilize them to reintegrate into society. It is an artistic lever for mobilizing these individuals who, for various reasons, have lost everything.

People with no connection to the theater, with inherently difficult lives, with problems even in reading, chose to revisit their past, assess their present, and influence their future. They chose action. Because life is action. Because theater is action. Shame, insecurities, wounded memories, poor mental health, and everything that entails, are some of the problems. The most important: the daily uncertainty and fear of the next day.

"The Island of Slaves" was the first attempt of the homeless theater group, but not the last. It will continue to shout through theater and art that the stigma you carry, whether you are homeless, destitute, or a refugee, does not make you any less human.

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