Tiggarfolk & herrskap

Selma Lagerlöf describes Lövdala as a safe and beloved place - the centre of community, imagination, and moral values, where her love of storytelling took root. In Tiggarfolk & herrskap, Västanå Musik & Teater weaves together several stories from Selma's works that revolve around Lövdala, posing sharp moral questions about human nature. In true Lagerlöf spirit, the supernatural appears as an ingredient for those who act unjustly.

At the heart are the cavaliers of Ekeby - the lost, former heroes living a parasitic existence without status or possessions, yet simultaneously desired and gifted artists. They oscillate between daydreams of past glory, the carefree euphoria of the present, and the corroding emptiness of self-contempt. The violinist Liljecrona is torn between the allure of a free life and home at Lövdala with its family duties. When the poor ask the gentry for help, the question of goodness and generosity arises - what becomes of those who let stinginess govern their actions toward the dependent?

The old colonel and former cavalier Beerencreutz learns he has only one day left to live. What meaning will he give to this final day, and what choice is the right one?