Bodies we fall for travels to the Unithea Festival

Bodies we fall for: A documentary performance on accessibility to love

Poster design for the performance "Bodies We Fall For." Against a dark background, countless droplets of azure, blue, and deep pink resemble stars in the firmament. Emerging from the stellar dust is an uncanny white body in full backward flexion. A fabric lightly drapes over it as it hovers, the face entirely unseen. The hand, disproportionately large compared to the rest of the body, forms a sharp curve, while the chest appears perfectly rounded—as if the laws of gravity are reversed in this inverted suspension. In white lettering, arranged both horizontally and vertically, appears the title of the performance: "Bodies We Fall For" by Naya Karakosta, alongside the subtitle: "a documentary performance on accessibility in Love

We want to speak about those other Loves […] to revolt for those other Loves. Those Loves that all of us deserve. Those Loves that speak of invisible bodies, and those Loves whose dramaturgy is only now being written.

Which bodies do we fall in love with? Whose love stories remain invisible? Bodies we fa|| for, the first performance in Cyprus created from the ground up with creative accessibility at its core, travels to Frankfurt for the Unithea Festival on Saturday, June 14.

Two young women – Naya T. Karakosta and Panayiota Zintili – unfold their raw, tender, inclusive truth about love and sexuality live on stage.

Against a dark, starry backdrop evoking the cosmos—tiny celestial bodies scattered like stardust—a photograph emerges of two women in black, seated side by side atop a thick layer of earth. Their hands are interlaced, their laughter playful, as if caught in a game. Their legs and clothes bear the traces of the soil beneath them.

Based on real-life testimonies – excerpts of which appear verbatim in the performance – this documentary performance raises questions about first kisses, dates, sex, and digital encounters, but most of all: Do all bodies have equal access to love?

Creative accessibility from scratch

Bodies we fa|| for is the first performance in Cyprus designed from the beginning with creative accessibility in mind. Accessibility tools are embedded in the dramaturgy itself: live interpretation in Cypriot Sign Language and surtitles for D/deaf and hard of hearing audiences, as well as a touch tour and audio description for blind and low vision spectators.

They said about Bodies we fa|| for

The performance highlights the challenges people with disabilities face when it comes to love, while also pointing to the need for an open and tolerant society.

-Marianna Paphiti

Without ever resorting to unnecessary sentimentality or moralizing […], they achieved something I rarely witness in theatre: you leave the room without guilt […].

-Antonis Kouroupakis

The performances by Naya Karakosta and Panayiota Zintili were heartfelt. They truly performed with their soul!

-Efi Gavriil Kalopedi

Next stop: Unithea Festival

The performance premiered at the 2nd inclusive performing arts festival Beyond DisDance, organised by Polychoros Synergeio in Limassol in collaboration with liminal. In April 2024, it was hosted at Female Voices in Contemporary Theatre, as part of Larnaca 2030.

A woman—short brown hair, piercing blue eyes—screams with raw intensity, her body coiled in tension. Veins bulge in her neck, her hands slash the air in sharp gestures, and her glistening eyes lock onto the audience with near-desperation. Behind her, barely discernible in the shadowy stage light, a sign language interpreter translates silently. Bold against a yellow backdrop, the words "Bodies We Fall For" loom, followed by the performance date: June 14th, 19:30. The Unithea Festival logo anchors the top-right corner.

Continuing its journey, Bodies we fa|| for will be presented at the Unithea Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, on Saturday, June 14, at the Theater des Lachens. This year marks the 25th edition of Unithea, with the theme “Passion”, organised by students of the European University Viadrina.

Credits

Idea – Research: The team Writer: Nayia T. Karacosta Director: Elena Sokratous Movement: Eleftheria Sokratous Scenography: Julia Georgiadou Poetry: Panagiota Zintili Video introduction: Panagiotis Paschalidis Editing: Andreas Touloumis Lighting design: Vassilis Peteinaris Poster design: Evanthia Kepola   Production: Multispace Ipogeia Skini Synergeio in Limassol, Cyprus Touring producer: Christos Papamichael – liminal On stage: Nayia T. Karacosta & Panagiota Zintili

Accessibility Services Credits

Surrtitle handling: Elias Sofroniou   Interpretation in Cypriot Sign Language: Panagiota Themistokleous Creative accessibility: Christos Papamichael – liminal

Useful information

Performance: Saturday, 14.06.2025 at 19:30 Location: Unithea Festival – Theater des Lachens

* The performance is accessible to blind/low vision, D/deaf and hard of hearing and physically disabled audiences.