Nils Holgersson, Lilika and the four PIs

NILS HOLGERSSON, LILIKA AND THE FOUR PIs
Written and directed by Elias Kounelas 

A unique theatrical experience for children of all ages from 6 to 96,
inspired by the adventures of Nils Holgersson

From Saturday 25 January

Nils Holgersson, Lilika and the four PIs, a unique theatrical experience for young and old alike directed by Elias Kounelas, opens on Saturday 25 January at a surprise venue, the Hall of the Ziller Building. This highly original work explores time and the freedom of flight, drawing inspiration from the world of Selma Lagerlöf and her timeless hero Nils Holgersson, as well as the writer and volunteer nurse, Lilika Nakos. It is a magical journey for children of all ages, from six to 96, who retreat into bedrooms and hideaways, into spaces that exist and some that do not, on Earth and in the imagination.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf, the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, wrote Nils Holgersson's Wonderful Journey, a beloved classic treasured by generations of children. It was a time when aeroplanes had not yet taken to the skies, and no one could imagine the enormous changes that technology would bring to people's lives. It has been translated into many languages ​​as well as being adapted into a highly successful animated series for TV.

Shrunk down to the size of a thumb by a meddlesome sprite, the mischievous Nils suddenly finds that he can understand the language of animals. He embarks on a long adventure on the back of his family's goose, following a flock of wild geese, but the further he gets from home, the more he dreams of becoming a normal boy again. His travels are a child's Odyssey, a thrilling coming-of-age tale that highlights the importance of empathy. At the same time, in a special circus-like institution, with children in one wing and elderly people in the other, a nurse begins to read Nils's adventures to the inmates. As always, the tiny hero who has seen the world from above, turns everything upside down.

Nils Holgersson, Lilika and the four PIs is a production with all the hallmarks of Elias Kounelas's distinctive artistic style. It is artistically crafted, humane, lyrical, and funny. It is for children who never stop talking and those who remain silent. For those living in the past or permanently thinking of the future. And for people who no longer have parents because their parents are now their children.

Perhaps we all have a challenging journey in us worth taking. Perhaps the things we once thought beneath our notice are what will ultimately help us soar.

The cast (in alphabetical order): Ioanna Antonarou, Ifigenia Griva, Emmanouil Kontos, Elias Kounelas, Elina Papatheodorou, Petros Pingas

Photographs: Karol Jarek
Video: Patroklos Skafidas