The Athens and Epidaurus Festival is celebrating its sixtieth of many creative years as a living entity which converses with society and continues to be active while at the same time undergoing change.
This year, the heart of the theatrical performances is beating at Peiraios 260, Athens, while at the same time other spectacles will be held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, at Aristotle’s Lyceum and other venues in the city.
The theatre has a dynamic presence this year, with important foreign invitees as well as Greek productions by established and younger artists. Directors and theatre companies of international acclaim, such as Romeo Castellucci with Societas Raffaello Sanzio and Thomas Ostermeier with Schaubühne, whom we were first introduced to by the Athens Festival, are coming back with new works. Companies such as
She She Pop from Berlin, Young Jean Lee’s Theatre from New York, South Africa’s Baxter Theatre, France’s François Tanguy and David Mambouch are appearing for the first time, while the New Riga Theatre from Latvia will be presenting the Greek premiere of a Russian play.
At the same time, the Festival remains open to the unforeseen, placing emphasis on original creation, and commissioning works from
Greek theatre companies, with both Greek and foreign directors. Despite the dire financial situation, an effort has been made to represent as many tendencies as possible. Approaches to ancient Greek tragedy (which are taking place not only at Epidaurus, but also at indoor venues in Athens); new interpretations of European classics; new Greek plays; postdramatic performances of “devised” theatre; and street theatre.
Providing a podium for young artists is one of the Festival’s main prerequisites: five directors are participating for the first time, while others are testing themselves once more in Athens, at the Epidaurus Festival and at Little Epidaurus. Pride of place in this year’s edition is held by women: women directors, women playwrights and women actors. At the same time, the links between the Festival and the big issues of society dictated the inclusion of topics such as the homeless, refugees and immigrants, while the Caravan will come to the audience in the city.
Diverse themes and different stage interpretations combine to produce a kaleidoscope of ideas, emotions and aspects of the world. At the Epidaurus Festival, important artists will tackle ancient drama, while the Greco-Japanese co-production of Homer’s Nekyia by the N Theatre will stand as a bridge between the two civilizations.
The festival’s full program can be found here.
