OUR MISSION

AITSONA DAITSONA is Georgia’s first emancipatory touring theatre for children. We registered as a non-profit organisation in 2017. Our aim is to establish and promote new emancipatory theatre for children and young people in Georgia as well as to create a platform for theatre and arts in education.

Following the example of the renowned GRIPS Theater in Berlin/Germany, we perform plays that deal with the social reality of children and young people, their experiences and struggles. Our plays reflect and analyse problems young people are facing in society and show possible ways of change; the plays are encouraging and empowering and at the same time of course a lot of fun. Recently, we have widened our scope and offer various workshops for children and teachers promoting different methods of cultural education.

AITSONA DAITSONA is an organisation that aims at empowering children and young people through theatre and arts and is addressing socio-political issues, such as discrimination, gender, economic, environmental, and currently occurring problems. We see theatre and arts as a tool for change, empowerment and education.

Our mission as AITSONA DAITSONA is on working with children and young people horizontally. This means taking their ideas, problems, and interests seriously and finding creative ways of dealing with them together. We want to reach and include children and young people who normally don’t have access to many cultural events and theatre performances, that’s why we have a special focus on the regions.

Our performances are followed by discussions and workshop sessions, exploring the issues of the plays together with our audience. Another important aspect of our work are collaborations with teachers and other professionals from the educational sector. In our teachers’ programmes, teachers can experience and learn, how theatre pedagogical methods can be used and integrated into educational work.

We at Aitsona-Daitsona see theatre as a social event that can empower groups, bring people together and creates solidarity. Watching performances together, scenarios that are related to the audience’s lives they see that they are not alone with their problems and fears. Our performances are about creating hope and solidarity and inspire change.

OUR TEAM

Mareike wenzel

Director, co-founder, artistic director


Mareike is an actress and theatre-maker. She founded Aitsona-Daitsona together with Lili, Mariam and Natia in 2017, after the success of their first play for children “Sakhlobana” (original title “Mann O Mann” by Volker Ludwig). Mareike has directed all three of Aitsona-Daitsona’s plays and together with the team devises, organises and runs the workshops and trainings.

Mareike was born in Berlin/Germany and trained as an actress at Birmingham School of Acting/UK. She is a member of the renowned performance company SIGNA. Currently, she is a fellow at the university of Hildesheim’s course “Artistic Interventions in Cultural Education” for which she is collaborating with various organisations working on new methods and programmes in cultural education.  

For Mareike theatre is a place to connect and bring together different stories and people.


Mareike directed: “Sakhlobana” “Shavi Nisli” “Tamashi”

Mariam Gabritchidze

Actress, co-founder, project manager

Mariam has already been acting and part of the production team for the play “Sakhlobana” in 2016. Following the success of this play together with Natia, Lili and Mareike she founded the organisation Aitsona-Daitsona in 2017. Mariam has been an actress in all three plays of Aitsona-Daitsona and has run the workshops for teachers and children. She is the project manager of Aitsona-Daitsona and has also been involved in the creation of the workshops.

Outside her work with Aitsona-Daitsona Mariam is a professional artist. She works in various mediums of art, mostly in fine art, design and performance. She is also a member and co-founder of the feminist art collective “Gorgonas”.

Interests and favourite activities: Feminism, Mythology, Social inequality, Feminist Linguistics, Travel, Mystical events.

Mariam played: Nuki – Sakhlobana; Kato, Neighbour Tata – Shavi Nisli; Player III – Tamashi.

lili mamulashvili

Actress, co-founder, educational program manager


Lili has also already been part of the first tour of “Sakhlobana” where she was part of the production team and also acting. Together with Natia, Mariam and Mareike she then founded the organisation Aitsona-Daitsona in 2017. Lili has been an actress in all three plays of Aitsona-Daitsona and has run workshops for teachers and children. Apart from her work as an actress, she is also the educational programme manager of Aitsona-Daitsona and has been involved in the creation of the workshops and communication with teachers and schools.

Lili has acquired a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Sociology of Culture and Mass Media. She studies the representations of femininity in Pop music.

Interests: Psychology, Culture, Semiotics, Religion and Mythology.

Lili played: Mother – Sakhlobana; Mother/ Luiza – Shavi Nisli; Player IV- Tamashi

nino vashakidze

Project Coordinator

Nino has been a member of the Creative Team since 2022. She took part in the project – “New Voices for Children’s Games”.

She is an art scholar, with a focus on medieval art. Her main research topic is medieval wall painting in Georgia.

Areas of interest: Everything to do with cultural heritage, art, history.

archil sulakvelidze

Actor, musician

Archi was already part of the cast of “Sakhlobana” in 2016. He has played in all three plays of Aitsona-Daitsona. He has also been responsible for the music in the plays and has been involved in the follow-up workshops for children.

Background: Archi graduated from Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University. Besides his work as an actor and musician for Aitsona-Daitsona, he is also an ensemble member for Tbilisi Nodar Dumbadze Professional State Youth Theatre and The Wandering Moon Theatre. Apart from his work as an actor, he is a guitarist for the Young Georgian Lolitaz.

In his free time, Archi enjoys playing computer games, reading scientific literature and watching ocean documentaries.

Archi played: Father – Sakhlobana; Kaspar – Shavi Nisli; Player I – Tamashi

Gio parjanadze

Actor

Gio has also been part of the cast of “Sakhlobana” in 2016 and is an actor for Aitsona-Daitsona since 2017.  He has performed in all three plays and has also been involved in the follow-up workshops with the children.

When Gio is not working as an actor for Aitsona-Daitsona he follows his passion for nature and has become an agricultural entrepreneur.
In his free time, Gio loves travelling and taking care of plants. He loves animals and is crazy about whales

Giorgi played: Gio – Sakhlobana: Caretaker, Father – Shavi Nisli; Player II – Tamashi

Jimmy melkadze

Actor

Jimi was already part of the cast of “Sakhlobana” in 2016 and has been an actor for Aitsona-Daitsona since 2017. He has played in “Saklobana” and “Shavi Nisli”. He has also been involved in the follow-up workshops for children.

Apart from his work with Aitsona-Daitsona, Jimi has recently started studying Interior Design. He also works at Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency as an event manager.

In his free time Jimi likes skateboarding, music, cinematography and to learn about technological innovations.

Jimi played: Landlord, Salesman and Boss – Sakhlobana ; Sandro – Shavi Nisli

Sandro Leluashvili

Actor

Sandro joined Aitsona-Daitsona as an actor in 2018 and was part of the devising team for “Tamashi”. He has also been involved in the follow-up workshops for children.

Sandro graduated from Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University. Since then, he has worked for many different theatre productions. Apart from his work as an actor for Aitsona-Daitsona, he is also an ensemble member of Tbilisi Nodar Dumbadze Professional State Youth Theatre.

When Sandro is not performing, he likes: attending cultural events at theatres, art galleries and the opera

Sandro played: Player II – Tamashi