Triggou and Stankoglou bring to life the legendary screen couple Karezi and Kourkoulos in the stage adaptation of Lola

The iconic Lola, the unforgettable heroine of 1960s Greek cinema brought to beingness by Tzeni Karezi alongside Nikos Kourkoulos, returns to the signifier successful a bold caller theatrical adaptation.

Starting January 30, for twenty performances only, the signifier of the Pallas Theatre volition beryllium transformed into the backstreets of aged Troumba, wherever the lights volition emergence erstwhile much connected the acheronian and passionate communicative of Lola and Aris. The production, adapted and directed by Christos Sougaris, stars Elli Triggou and Yiannis Stankoglou successful the legendary pb roles.

A Classic Reborn

The archetypal film, directed by Dinos Dimopoulos and written by Ilias Lymberopoulos, premiered successful 1964 and rapidly became a milestone of Greek cinema, moving audiences with its affectional extent and unforgettable performances. Upon its merchandise successful Athens and Piraeus, it sold over 313,000 tickets.

Filming was nary casual feat — the Troumba district, notorious astatine the time, posed respective dangers. Large-scale sets had to beryllium constructed to isolate the filming country portion preserving the neighborhood’s authentic atmosphere.

Equally unforgettable was the country that marked Vicky Moscholiou’s creator debut, arsenic she sang from a precocious model the haunting opus by Stavros Xarchakos, “Tou Iliou Svistiké to Fos” (“The Sun’s Light Has Faded”), symbolizing the film’s heavy melancholy. The soundtrack besides included timeless classics specified arsenic “Den Ehei Arhi” performed by Tzeni Karezi herself and “Oneiro Dèmeno” sung by Panos Gavallas and Ria Kourti.

The Story

Set successful the seedy underworld of Troumba, Lola tells the communicative of a nightclub vocalist and her lover, Aris, who has conscionable been released from prison. Determined to uncover who betrayed him and whether Lola played a portion successful his downfall, Aris returns to the unsafe satellite that erstwhile trapped him.

The cabaret wherever Lola performs belongs to Stelios (memorably portrayed successful the movie by Dionysis Papagiannopoulos), the pack person liable for Aris’s imprisonment. The mates finds an improbable state successful an aged situation guard, played by Pantelis Zervos, who yet sacrifices himself to prevention them — lone to uncover successful a moving twist that Lola is his daughter.

A Theatrical Challenge

Bringing this beloved classical to the signifier for the first time, six decades later, poses some an creator situation and an breathtaking accidental for the originative team.

Director Christos Sougaris and the formed — including Elli Triggou, Yiannis Stankoglou, and Giorgos Gallos — instrumentality connected roles indelibly associated with the stars of the aureate property of Greek cinema. Yet, each progressive person already proven their exceptional endowment successful erstwhile acclaimed productions, promising a revival worthy of the original’s legacy.

The anticipation is precocious — Lola is acceptable to bring passion, nostalgia, and artistry backmost to the bosom of the Athenian stage.