The Cyprus Theatre Organisation will return to the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus with an autonomous production of Euripides' tragedy Ion on August 28 and 29.
The performances will mark the end of the summer season at the ancient venue in Argolis. Director Thomas Moschopoulos handled the translation, direction, and dramaturgical adaptation for the staging, which brings the Cypriot state company back to the festival as an independent ensemble after a multi-year absence.
A Historic Epidaurus Tradition
Board President Pantelis Voutouris told Newsbeast that the relationship between the Cyprus Theatre Organisation and the Ancient Drama Festival of Epidaurus began 46 years ago in 1980. The company made its debut with Euripides' play The Suppliant Women, directed by Nicos Charalambous.
The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, constructed in the fourth century BCE in the Peloponnese region of Greece, is world famous for its acoustics and serves as a premier venue for classical drama. Following its 1980 debut, the Cyprus state theatre maintained a continuous presence at Epidaurus for a quarter of a century. Voutouris said that from 1980 until 2005, the organisation did not miss a single season at the venue.
Voutouris noted that during the 1980s and 1990s, consistent festival participation established a distinct theatrical tradition for modern adaptations of ancient Greek drama. Outstanding actors associated with the company performed regularly on the Epidaurus stage during those decades.
Despina Bempedeli established a prominent record at the theatre, starring as Hecuba in The Trojan Women in 1981 and again in Hecuba in 1988. She also played the Nurse in Medea in 1984, Andromache in 1992, and Atossa in The Persians in 1995.
Tjeni Gaitanopoulou built a landmark career with 12 Epidaurus productions starting in 1981. Her roles included Medea in 1984, Jocasta in Oedipus Rex in 1986, Clytemnestra in Oresteia in 1999, and a role in The Phoenician Women in 2002.
Kostas Demetriou, who received the Grand Award from the Cyprus Theatre Organisation in 2025, performed major roles at Epidaurus. His performances included Poseidon in The Trojan Women, Creon in Oedipus Rex, Heracles and Aeschylus in The Frogs in 1989, and Demeas in Samia in 1993.
Varnavas Kyriazis contributed to the festival as an actor, assistant director, and stage director for two productions. Director Nicos Charalambous led the inaugural 1980 production and directed 11 festival stagings for the organisation.
Rebuilding Independent Stages
The organisation's regular presence began to diminish around 2010. In subsequent years, participation was limited primarily to co-productions, such as Aris Biniaris' staging of The Persians, or productions led by guest Greek directors including Biniaris, Lefteris Livathinos, and Michail Marmarinos.
Voutouris said that the interruption resulted from a combination of factors, including individuals, prevailing ideas, and circumstances. He added that the break in continuous participation caused a loss for both the theatre organisation and the Epidaurus Festival.
When a new board of directors assumed leadership in 2024 under Voutouris, restoring the historical tie to Epidaurus became an immediate priority. The company initiated its return in 2025 through a co-production with the State Theatre of Northern Greece, staging three rhapsodies from Homer's Odyssey under director Michail Marmarinos.
That stepping stone enabled the company to mount its fully autonomous 2026 production of Euripides' Ion under Moschopoulos.
International Outreach and Collaborations
The collaboration with Moschopoulos developed after he directed Nikolai Gogol's satirical comedy The Inspector General on the main stage in Nicosia during the 2024-2025 season. Voutouris said the production was a major success, although financial constraints prevented a planned tour in Greece.
The working experience built mutual trust, leading the board to select Moschopoulos for the 2026 Epidaurus project. Several key artistic collaborators from the Gogol production returned to work on Ion.
Voutouris emphasized that returning to Epidaurus forms part of a broader policy of international engagement rather than a standalone objective. The organisation participates in European programs, including Theatre in Palm and the Theatre Green Book initiative, which aims to transition European theatres to environmentally sustainable practices by 2030.
In 2025, the company presented its production Fat at the Young Europe Festival in Nova Gorica, Slovenia, and participated in a showcase in Opole, Poland following an official invitation. The institution is a founding member of the Inter-Balkan Network of Performing Arts, established in 2025, and belongs to the Anna Lindh Foundation Network.
The company also belongs to the European Theatre Convention, the largest theater network in Europe with more than 80 member institutions across 30 countries. General Manager Marina Maleni serves on the board of directors of the European Theatre Convention. In addition, the organization maintains active partnerships with theater groups in Finland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Latvia, Malta, and Sweden.
Future Projects and Stage Performers
In Nicosia, the organisation hosted the Roots & Routes Young Artists Festival, featuring creative groups from 14 European nations. The company has also expanded partnerships with major Greek cultural institutions, including the National Theatre of Greece, the State Theatre of Northern Greece, the Greek National Opera, and the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation.
The organisation has a long history of special collaborations with prominent artists, including Irene Papas, Michael Cacoyannis, Dimitris Potamitis, and Sotiris Moustakas, as well as musicians Alkinoos Ioannidis, Dionysis Savvopoulos, and Thanos Mikroutsikos.
During the 2025-2026 season, the company engaged guest directors for diverse productions. Stefan Larsson directed Henrik Ibsen's Little Eyolf, Lina Nikolakopoulou directed Choral Waters, Takis Tzamargias directed Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Owen Horsley directed Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and Patrick Myles directed Brian Friel's Translations.
For the 2026-2027 season, the organisation will feature productions led primarily by Cypriot directors. Achilleas Grammatikopoulos will direct Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, Andreas Araouzos will direct Peter Morgan's Frost/Nixon, Athina Kasiou will direct Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, Fotis Nikolaou will direct Little Red Riding Hood, and Maria Mannaridou Karsera will direct Place of Memory, based on Costas Montis' novella Closed Doors and Thodosis Pierides' poetic work Cypriot Symphony.
Actors Neoklis Neokleous and Stela Fyrogeni star in the current production of Ion. Voutouris praised both as distinguished performers in modern Greek theater whose visibility in Greece had been affected by the organisation's previous absence from Epidaurus.
Voutouris confirmed that the Cyprus Theatre Organisation intends to establish a lasting presence at Epidaurus and will submit proposals for the 2027 festival season within the official submission timelines set by the Athens Epidaurus Festival management.
