Written in 1909,‘Liliom, or the Life and Death of a Villain' captivates audiences everywhere. It tells the story of a powerful and chaotic love affair between a maid and a carousel operator.

It’s a story of misery, raw emotions and fragility. The characters take ownership of their fate and lock themselves in their failures; it is as if they’ve been down the same road a hundred times without ever learning.

Liliom is making hisrounds at the fair, hitting on every dreamy-eyed young woman. One day he meets Julika and immediately loses his job. His life goes into a downward spiral. He wants to caress, but instead he hits.

He wants to love, but instead he causes pain. This seems to be the tragic law of his existence – a law whose grip he cannot escape. Even suicide is not a way out. He’s sent back from the gates of heaven... “God helps those who help themselves”, the old proverb says. But what if you don’t know how?

Are we forever prisoners of our own weaknesses, or can we change? Can fate be avoided, or is there no point in fighting it? How do we live our lives and what choices do we make?

These are some of the questions raised by Ferenc Molnár’s play ‘Liliom’, a touching and romantic story.

The play takes us tothe depths of the transience of life, while somehow still exuding a sense of joy. The performance is moving and dramatically human.

Place: National Dance Theatre Budapest

Address: 1024 Budapest, Kis Rókus u. 16-20.