The Girl and the Wild Pear

Eleftheria's mother Kiki is illiterate. Growing up, the letters remained mysteries. Secret quirks. A boundary between her and the initiated. But the tales that echoed within her needed to come out, come to life and be told further. A need so compelling that Kiki invents her own alphabet.

The Girl and the Wild Pear is a personal and poetic portrayal of a mother who grew up in a refugee village in northern Greece, inhabited by Armenians expelled from Turkey. It was a place shaped by rocks and tobacco plants, a restricted world for those who were considered neither Greek nor Turk – a place where survival required hard work.

The play also tells the story of her daughter, who had to leave her home village to follow her dreams. And how her mother's stories of survival gave her security on the way. It is a story of shame and love, class and origin, borne of the need to express herself and bring inner images to life.

World Premier: August 30 at the Gothenburg Dance and Theatre Festival
New Premier: March 26 at Backa Teater

Eleftheria Gerofoka is the initiator and driving force behind the idea for The Girl and the Wild Pear , with Lola Arias as artistic mentor.

The performance is performed in Swedish, English and Greek.

Illustrated image: Jens Fänge
Performance images: Ola Kjelbye

New Release

March 26 2025

Age Limit

From 15 years

Audio Interpretation 

April 24th

Length

Estimated to be one hour without a pause 

Price

95-260 SEK