CULTURAL SUMMER 2026

Saturday, August 1, 2026 - 9:00 p.m.

LONGOS THEATRE - Premiere – "Oh, my kidneys"

The CULTURAL SOCIETY LONGOS "LORD BYRON" invited to the premiere of the play "Oh, my kidneys" by Babis Tsikliropoulos on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 9.00 p.m. at the Longos Cultural Centre. ADMISSION 5,00 EURO as financial support for the CULTURAL SOCIETY LONGOS.

SPONSORS: Taverna bouloubasis - Cafe snak To kaloriziko - Coffee Bar Log-inn - Cafe O Platanos - Grillhouse Tylichto - The Magic Flute E. Kapetzoni - Ioannis Palaiologopoulos - Butcher Shop Droukas - PhysioCure Anna Rodopoulou - "The Producer" A. Gazis - Hairdresser Maria Oikonomopoulou - Flowers and Plants MYRIANTHI - Once upon a time Aik. Moriatis - Grocery Store V. Kapetzoni - Angelos Ceremonies - A. Ferfelis Transportation Directed by: F.O.L. Theatre Group Music selection: F.O.L. Theatre Group Scene processing: Nikos Tsamtsouris Prompter: Dimitra Prinou-Tsamtsouri Light and sound: Charis Mantikas Photos and Video: Werner Charilaos Sollbach

The actors: (Zoom in: Left-click)
Giorgos Oikonomopoulos as Mitsaras	Stamatis Theodocharidis as Boulis
Dimitris Galanis as Nefras	Angeliki Thedocharidi as Μagdalena

A few words about the play Boulis and Mitsaras, two inseparable friends and scrap collectors, grew up together from a young age and go through life relying solely on each other for support. Despite poverty and hardship, they never lose their dignity or their hope for a better tomorrow, while their dreams constantly take them to distant and exotic destinations. The appearance of Magdalene, a marginalized woman with a big heart, brings a glimmer of hope into their lives. However, the unexpected arrival of the mysterious man in the suit will upset the balance and force them to face decisions that will test their resilience, their values, and their friendship. With humor, tenderness, and keen social awareness, Babis Tsikliropoulos tells a deeply human story about friendship, dignity, and the power of hope. A work that, through laughter and emotion, reminds us that even in the most difficult moments, people can keep their dreams and humanity alive.

The author Babis Tsikliropoulos (1939–2011) was a Greek writer, screenwriter, songwriter and poet. He was a founding member of the Greek Screenwriters’ Association.

He wrote novels ("The Baron", "The Odyssey of Mitsou", "Lest I Forget and Never Return", "Detachment", "The Visit", "The Memoirs of an Embryo", "The Amateur", "The Second Live Broadcast") as well as plays ("The Surprise", "The Cuckolds", "Tell Mitsos", "The Invitation", "The Master", "Salto Mortale", "The Giants", "Ursula", "The Ladies’ Cries", "Paraskevas", "The Garden with the Swallows", "We Are All Spectators", "The Cellar", "Oh, my kidneys") and also wrote children’s books ("The Island of Kareta-Kareta the Turtle", "On the Island of Monachos-Monachos the Seal", "On the Island of the Seagulls", "A Lost Dog’s Christmas", "The Eagle Who Wept"). He also wrote screenplays for television series ("The Amateur", "I’m Looking for a Friend", "The Return", "Our Children’s Town", "Krustallenia", "Fairy Tales Behind Bars", "The Passion") and feature films ("The Flight of the Swan", "The Electric Angel", "The Baron", "Impale Them! How We Conquered the Fortress of Kouradokastro", "The Little Ships"), as well as song lyrics, including the best-known "Eleni" and "Letter", which were set to music by Thanos Mikroutsikos.

Here are some photos from the performance and a short video clip:   Video clip of the performance (00:02:45): Here is the full video recording of the performance (01:36:15):

On 3 August, the newspaper "PROTI TIS AIGIALEIAS" published a full-page article about the performance, which was also available to read online:

Published on August 3, 2026 by Proti Online: The FOL theatre group brought ‘Oh! My kidneys!’ to life LAUGHTER, EMOTION AND A DEEPLY HUMAN STORY AT LONGGOS Babis Tsikliropoulos’s play ‘Oh! My Kidneys!”, could be described as a sweet ode to human friendship and interpersonal relationships, with the theatre group of the Culural Society Longos putting its own ‘stamp’ on the well-known play, highlighting the timeless nature of the text through some excellent performances. The performance took place on the evening of Saturday 1 August at the F.O.L. Cultural Centre, leaving an excellent impression, and will be staged again on Sunday 9 August at 9.00 pm at the same venue. It is a play full of humour, irony, satire and great emotion, which demonstrates that the only defence against attacks on human dignity is the strength of human relationships. The story with the unexpected ending Two scrap collectors, Boulis and Mitsaras, face their poverty with humour and dignity, dreaming of escaping to exotic countries. Their lives are turned upside down when they become embroiled in an adventure linked to the organ trade. They are joined by the kind-hearted Magdalene, a prostitute who brings a glimmer of optimism, until the unexpected arrival of a mysterious gentleman in a suit, who puts their resilience, values and friendship to the test. With humour, tenderness and social sensitivity, Tsikliropoulos tells a deeply human story about friendship, dignity and the power of hope. The play, full of laughter and emotion, culminates in an unpredictable finale that reminds us that even in the most difficult moments, people can keep their dreams and humanity alive. Every quip hit the mark… From the very first scene, the F.O.L. open-air venue was filled with laughter. The witty dialogue, plot twists and misunderstandings unfolded naturally, keeping the audience thoroughly engrossed. The characters came to life through the inspired performances of the amateur actors: Mitsaras was played by Giorgos Oikonomopoulos, Boulis by Stamatis Theocharidis, Magdalene by Angeliki Theocharidi, whilst Nefra was played by Dimitris Galanis. The performance was a celebration of collective effort. Behind the scenes lay months of preparation, rehearsals, anxiety and creative perseverance. The result was rewarded with warm and prolonged applause. The prompter was Dimitra Prinou, whilst the direction and musical supervision were handled by the F.O.L. Theatre Group. The set design was by Nikos Tsamtsouris, and the sound and lighting by Haris Mantikas. A partnership of people who love culture The Culural Society Longos has demonstrated once again that culture flourishes wherever there are people with passion and a willingness to give. Through theatre, cooperation is fostered, social cohesion is strengthened, and moments are created that bring young and old together. The success of the performance was measured not only by the turnout, but above all by the enthusiasm and the warm applause. It was an evening where laughter became a common language and the stage a meeting place for people who support every creative initiative in their local community.