As autumn settles over Athens, the city’s stages come alive with stories that blend humor, myth, and human truth. From uproarious modern comedies to timeless classics reimagined, October brings audiences both Greek and international productions — many now accessible with English surtitles. Whether you’re a visitor seeking a taste of contemporary Greek theater or a local eager to dive into new interpretations, here are four standout performances to catch this month:
Caryatid! — An Uproarious Comedy About the Return of Greece’s Most Famous Daughter
At once hilarious and biting, Caryatid! imagines the day Greece finally welcomes home the sixth Caryatid after her long captivity in the British Museum. Written by beloved screenwriter and actor Giorgos Kapoutzidis, known for his award-winning television series, the play unfolds in real time — half an hour before the official press conference announcing the statue’s return.
The entire nation waits as though greeting a beloved aunt or a long-lost cousin from abroad. But her homecoming doesn’t go quite as planned. What follows is a merciless yet deeply funny reflection on national pride, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves.
© Elina Giounanli
Commissioned by the National Theater of Greece as part of its Modern Greek Plays series, Caryatid! runs for a second successful season at Kappa Theater. Performances with English surtitles are available on select dates — check the National Theater’s official website for details, and confirm availability before booking.
Faust — Goethe’s Classic, Reimagined for the Modern Psyche
Director and actor Aris Biniaris brings Goethe’s Faust into the present day, transforming the tragic scholar’s quest for knowledge into a psychological odyssey through the unconscious mind.
photos by © (Artwork) Christos Symeonidis
In Biniaris’s adaptation, Faust becomes a man in therapy, confronting his buried desires, fears, and guilt in a darkly poetic journey toward love and redemption. The result is a production of intense musicality and emotional force — a battle between the body and the spirit, knowledge and instinct, the Apollonian and the Dionysian.
Now in its second year at the National Theater of Greece’s Ziller Building (Main Stage), Faust continues to captivate audiences with its raw physicality and philosophical depth. Performances include English surtitles; visit the theater’s official site for dates and ticket information.
Interview — A Dark Comedy on Power, Control, and the Human Condition
After twelve years, the acclaimed theater group Emeis revives its groundbreaking dark comedy Interview, directed by Christos Thanos.
Set during a surreal job interview, four candidates face absurd questions and humiliating trials that unravel into a tragicomic exploration of power, control, and survival. The play exposes timeless struggles — between oppressor and oppressed, capital and consumer, system and citizen — with biting humor and empathy.
credit: christos simeonides
Originally devised collectively by the ensemble in 2013, Interview has been performed in detention centers, rehabilitation programs, and schools, as well as in New York by the Hellenic Cultural Center. The production, honored by the UNESCO Club of Piraeus and Islands, returns more relevant than ever in today’s uncertain world.
Running from October 17 to January 10 at OLVIO Theater, the show is wheelchair-accessible and includes SDH surtitles in both Greek and English for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
For tickets please go here.
A Celebration of Comedy — Athens English Comedy Club Returns for Its Seventh Season
For a lighter night out, the Athens English Comedy Club — the city’s first and only purely English-speaking comedy stage — raises its curtain on October 19 at ELIART Theater, kicking off its seventh season.
With over 130 comedians from 29 countries performing since its founding, the club has become a cornerstone of Athens’s growing stand-up scene. The opening night features headliner Anshita Koul, alongside seasoned performers and fresh new voices. Expect a vibrant mix — “a potluck of comedy,” as the organizers promise — full of color, chaos, and laughter.
Doors open at 20:40, and the show begins at 21:00 (recommended for ages 16+). The venue is wheelchair accessible; visit the club’s website for reservations and details.
credit: Athens English Comedy Club
