AEF2026: Eirene (Peace)

For theatre lovers, summer weekends in Greece are tied to travelling from Athens to the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus for their annual pilgrimage into the heart of Greece’s theatrical heritage. Set amidst the serene landscapes of the Argolid, Epidaurus offers you the chance to sit in an extraordinary and deeply moving space and watch performances that, although rooted to the ancient monument, speak directly to the present moment.

Last year, the Athens-Epidaurus Festival celebrated its 70th edition, a milestone that attests to its enduring place in European cultural life. This year, celebrated director Michael Marmarinos assumes the Festival’s three-year artistic directorship, launching what he describes as an exciting three-year programme. Each edition will be a complete experience on its own, yet together they form a broader vision. He has called it a journey through time, creativity, and the transformative power of performance.

For now, only the programme for the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus has been unveiled, offering a mix of classics, daring reinterpretations, and contemporary works that bring together Greek and international voices. Additional events and artistic actions will be revealed in time, promising further discoveries and delights. While this is the Epidaurus leg of the festival, its spirit extends far beyond, with a lively programme (ΤΒΑ) in Athens that celebrates theatre, music, dance, and creativity.
Check out what you can watch in the ancient amphitheatre:

Peace holds a pivotal place in the overall work of Aristophanes as the most deeply conciliatory and optimistic of his political comedies. It remains timeless because it illuminates the ordinary person’s persistence in claiming peace, even against the logic of power, making the play profoundly relevant today.

Nikos Karathanos, Phoebus Delivorias, and Angelos Triantafyllou are the principal collaborators in a new production, an adaptation that turns the play into a lyrical, musical and deeply political celebration. Balancing satire with tenderness, the production transforms the comedy into a defiant festival staged against the backdrop of devastation.

The adaptation aims to highlight the resilience of the ordinary individual who insists on dreaming, singing, and demanding another way forward. Peace here is not naïve optimism but an act of resistance against exhaustion and cynicism.