“Miss Helen’s Secret” – A stage confession by Eleni Zioga – Directed by Marianna Kalbari

In “Miss Helen’s Secret”, a woman presents on stage her turbulent and heroic life. A life that goes across all the great events happened during the 20th century of Greek history. Her peculiar relationship with her son, who is an author, is also presented. A son that is eager to find out the true answer to the existential question concerning death. That answer to this question seems difficult to be found even for Helen.

This special woman, who had started as a poor little girl in Giannena of 1914 and she managed to be a successful beautician, was the incarnation of a purposeful personality. She bravely surpassed all the obstacles concerning her nature and her social position as a woman. Obstacles that were standing in front of her as a kind of tyrannical determinism.

In this theatrical attempt, Helen Zioga confesses a family story about her grandmother and grandfather based on true events. The theatrical text is based on Vassilis Ziogas’ novel “As You Managed, my Lord”. With this novel, Ziogas (one of the greatest Greek Post-War playwrights) attempts to make a tribute to her mother, but simultaneously he aspires a reckoning with one of the most important person of his life.

Helen Zioga makes a tribute to her father and she completes the story. When she plays the role of her namesake grandmother, Helen accomplishes this family affair.