18 Mpoumpoulinas, St.

A blonde woman stands in front of a mirror with her gaze lowered. On the mirror, vertical and horizontal lines intersect, drawn with a black marker, resembling barbed wire.

One of the most iconic autobiographical texts of Greece’s post-junta period, 18 Mpoumpoulinas, St. comes to the Athens Epidaurus Festival. On July 14, 2025, the performance becomes accessible to audiences with sensory disabilities, thanks to liminal’s accessibility services.

About the Performance

This testimony was written in 1968, on a train journey from Paris to Strasbourg (…) I wrote it because neither my fake passport nor the peaceful Alsatian countryside could convince me that I had truly left Greece — or the prison, or the Security Police.

18 Mpoumpoulinas, St., directed by Sofia Karagianni, is a theatrical adaptation of Kitty Arsenis’ harrowing testimony about her arrest and torture at the hands of the Greek military junta. Written while she was traveling to testify before the European Commission of Human Rights, the narrative brings to life the people and scenes of a dark era with startling clarity, emotional intensity, and moments of dry humour —however scarce they were in the isolation cells and rooftop interrogation rooms of Mpoumpoulinas, St.

This autobiographical story is performed as a monologue by actress Amalia Arsenis, Kity Arsenis’ niece and direct recipient of her testimony. Through precise movement and vocal choices, Amalia channels the many voices and faces that emerge from this haunting account.

On stage, a woman in a black dress untangles her blonde hair before a dressing-room mirror. Makeup items are scattered across a dark countertop. Behind her, a black and a fuchsia dress stand upright on mannequins. The mirror, smudged with black lines like an architectural plan or prison layout, distorts her reflection into a fractured image.

A powerful narrative device in the performance is the cassette of Mikis Theodorakis’ music, which led to Kity’s arrest. Theodorakis himself was being held at Mpoumpoulinas St. around the same time. Though they never met, she recalls hearing him whistle—a sound that cuts through the performance, becoming the soundscape of violence, resilience, and the longing for freedom.

This is more than just a story of survival. It serves as a timely reminder—especially in an era when state violence, authoritarianism, and fascism are once again on the rise—of the enduring power of resistance and remembrance. What begins as a personal narrative transforms into collective memory and a powerful political act.

In front of a large mirror whose edges fade out of the frame, a young blonde woman wearing a black short-sleeved dress applies lipstick. The mirror before her is marked with black lines that resemble part of a larger architectural blueprint of a space.

Accessibility Services

On July 14, liminal provides integrated accessibility services for audiences with sensory disabilities that respect and reflect the artistic codes of the performance. Guiding audiences through the actor’s rapid, intense monologue and its rich contrasts—dressing room versus prison cell, artist versus activist, past versus present—these services invite full immersion into the world of this powerful testimony through:

  • Greek Sign Language Interpretation
  • Surtitling for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing audiences
  • Touch tour of the set with the participation of cast and crew
  • Audio description for blind and low-vision audiences
In 2012, the testimony of Kitty Arseni was adapted for the stage and performed by the Greek Theatre of the Deaf in sign language, with simultaneous interpretation into spoken Greek. In the play "41 Days", directed by Vasilis Vilaras, Evanthia Plachoura portrayed Kitty Arseni, narrating her experience in the detention center of Mpoumpoulinas Street. Now, in Sofia Karagianni’s production, Evanthia Plachoura will provide the Greek Sign Language interpretation for Deaf and Hard of hearing audiences.

Credits

Direction: Sofia Karagianni
Dramaturgy: Sofia Karagianni, Amalia Arsenis
Music Composition: Manos Antoniadis
Set & Costume Design: Georgia Bourda
Lighting Design: Vasiliki Gogou
Movement Coaching: Margarita Trikka
Performed by: Amalia Arsenis

Accessibility Credits

Interpretation in Greek Sign Language: Evanthia Plachoura, Androniki Xanthopoulou
Text Editing in the Greek Sign Language: Evanthia Plachoura
Audio Description: Maria Thrasyvoulidi, Alexandra Georgovassili
Touch Tour: Maria Thrasyvoulidi
Surtitling for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Grigoris Stathopoulos
Accessibility Services Quality Check: Andreas Plemmenos, Eva Gkritzali, Yiannis Vitsos
Accessibility Services Coordination: liminal

Useful information

Accessible performance – 18 Mpoumpoulinas, St.

Date and Time: Monday 14 July 2025 at 21:30
Venue: Peiraios 260, Venue B

Available services

  • Greek Sign Language Interpretation
  • Surtitling for Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences
  • Touch tour of the set
  • Audio description for blind and low-vision audiences.

Touch Tour starts: 20:30

The venue is is wheelchair accessible.

🎟️ Although these performances may appear as SOLD OUT, you can still make a reservation:

📩 Via e-mail: [email protected]

📞 By phone: 2104834913 (Monday – Friday 10:00-17:00)

When making your reservation, please specify which accessibility services you need.

For assistance with the reservation process, please contact us by email at [email protected].