Stefanos Linaeus, one of the most important representatives of the Greek theatre with a strong social and political imprint, passed away, leaving behind a great artistic and intellectual legacy.
Born in 1926 in Athens, Linaeus - born Stefanos Linardos - had a career that went beyond the boundaries of acting. He was an actor, director and writer, with a firm orientation towards a theatre that converses with society and political reality. Together with his life partner and fellow traveller, Elli Fotiou, they founded the historic Alpha Theatre, a space that sealed the country's post-war cultural life.
Particularly during the dictatorship, the Linaiou-Fotiou theatre was a reference point for artistic resistance and free expression. He chose works with a clear social and political charge, giving a platform to contemporary concerns and maintaining a constant dialogue with the audience.
At the same time, he had a rich presence in cinema and television, without ever turning away from the theatre stage, which was his main field of action. His writing, like his productions, was characterised by a clear ideological stance and a commitment to man and society.
His political activity was equally active. In 1986 he was elected as a councillor of the Municipality of Athens, next to Dimitris Beis, while in 1989 he was elected as a member of parliament with PASOK.
Stefanos Linaeus belongs to that generation of artists who treated theatre as a tool for thought and intervention. Through his journey, he served art with consistency and faith, leaving an indelible imprint on the Greek cultural landscape. His loss marks the end of an era for Greek theatre.
The daughter of Stephanos Linaiou and Elli Fotiou, the journalist and radio producer Margarita Mytilineou, said goodbye to her beloved father with the following touching words through her personal account in social networks:
«Have a good trip, Father.
You left full and full of days, smiling and full of love. Big deal.
All your life you have fought for what you thought was honest, just and democratic. Struggles, agonies, exile, economic disasters, political disappointments - you faced them all. You overcame them all.
The road you walked had a lot of loneliness but also great victories.
Theatre, radio, newspaper articles, books, trade unionism. In all of them you left your strong imprint.
For a good greeting I give you the spring sun, the scent of the flower of the orange blossom, the taste of kaimaki ice cream and the view of the Messinian Gulf that you loved so much. Oh, and a Greek coffee like the one you drank every afternoon with Mama.
That's all, Father.
Have a good trip...»
