International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama

A summer program of eight productions from five countries

Eight productions from five countries make up the program of the 12th International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama that is held in Paphos, Limassol and Nicosia from July 4 to August 2, 2008.

The International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama (2008) will enter its twelfth year of running this year. It is an annual event which attracts professional theatre companies from various parts of the world. Over the last eleven years it hosted companies from Greece, Britain, U.S.A., Germany, Russia, Romania, Sweden, Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy/Austria, Korea and Cyprus. This wide international participation in the Festival helps to bring out the universality of ancient Greek drama and underline its living presence in today’s world. The Festival is held in the summer and specifically in July when Cyprus attracts visitors from all over the world. Thus with its performances it brings ancient Greek drama into contact with a multicultural audiences.

The program of the International Ancient Greek Drama Festival is incredibly interesting this year including performances by eight theatrical organizations from five countries, with Greece holding the lion’s share. It also includes a multi-cultural production of the Theatre Astragali, with performers from Italy, Malta, France, Greece, Albania and Cyprus presenting the Persians of Aeschylus, between 18 and 21 July.

Groups from Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Italy and Israel were selected by the Selection Committee, from among 35 proposals from around the world, to give performances from 4th of July to 2nd of August in the Ancient Odeon of Paphos, the Curium Ancient Theatre in Limassol and the Makarios III Amphitheatre in Nicosia.