DATE 22 April – 9 May (2009 Previews 22 & 23 April)
VENUE Fairfax Studio, the Arts Centre
PRICE $30 - $50
BOOKINGS www.theartscentre.com.au or 1300 136 166

CAFÉ REBETIKA! is about how love, sorrow, pain and transcendent power through rebetika. The play involves you in the sub-culture of the rebetes, musicians, refugees, lovers, prostitutes and manges – (tough guys). Stavrakas runs a teke (a hash den) where Yiorgos the hash smoker and Katerina the prostitute, come to escape their lives through the music of rebetika. We follow the epic love story of Stavrakas and Areti, a singer and refugee from Smyrna. When Areti is murdered by rival Nikos, Stavrakas’ rebetis philosophy is challenged to the core.. The production is conceived and directed by Stephen Helper from Broadway. CAFÉ REBETIKA! has an award winning cast led by Tony Nikolakopoulos (Head On, The Wog Boy) and live music by Melbourne’s own Rebetiki.

CAFÉ REBETIKA! is supported by The Australia Council for the Arts, The Arts Centre Mix It Up, Melbourne, Victoria, the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne Victoria, Neos Kosmos as a national media Partner and Laiki Bank.