{"id":19201,"date":"2026-08-09T21:44:49","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T21:44:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/09\/2300-year-old-ancient-greek-theatre-hosts-first-fully-accessible-performance\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T21:44:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T21:44:49","slug":"2300-year-old-ancient-greek-theatre-hosts-first-fully-accessible-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/09\/2300-year-old-ancient-greek-theatre-hosts-first-fully-accessible-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"2,300 Year Old Ancient Greek Theatre Hosts First Fully Accessible Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"


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As Christopher Nolan\u2019s The Odyssey<\/em> renews global fascination with Homer\u2019s epic, the war\u2019s other story has been brought to life at one of Greece\u2019s ancient landmarks.<\/h3>\n

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The Trojan Women<\/em>, featuring a cast of 22 performers, including many actors with disabilities, was staged at Epidaurus, the ancient open-air stone theatre in southern Greece.<\/p>\n

The Aug. 2 performance marked what organisers described as the first fully accessible production in the ancient theatre\u2019s 2,300-year history.<\/p>\n

While Homer followed warriors sailing home from Troy, playwright Euripides \u2014 writing around three centuries later \u2014 turned his attention to the city\u2019s ruins and the women left behind, who faced exile and enslavement.<\/p>\n

The ancient theatre provided a full range of accessibility services for the performance. Blind audience members received Braille programmes, tactile models and live audio description, while deaf spectators followed overhead titles. Physical adaptations also improved access throughout the site.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the first time a performance at Ancient Epidaurus has been made accessible to everyone,\u201d said Greg Polychronidis, a Paralympic gold medallist who attended the performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday was a celebration of equality and it should serve as an example for everyone, forever,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For many of the performers, appearing on the ancient stage formed part of the production\u2019s message, giving a voice to people who are often overlooked.<\/p>\n

Eirini Kourouvani, a 58-year-old cast member who uses a wheelchair, had never entered the theatre before.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is just grand,\u201d she said. \u201cI feel my heart opening up as wide as this theatre is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ioanna-Maria Gertsou, a blind psychologist, attended the performance with Babu, her guide dog.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe too have the right to attend performances on an equal footing,\u201d she said, expressing relief that her dog remained quiet throughout the play.<\/p>\n

The National Theatre of Greece produced the performance, while the nonprofit Liminal designed its accessibility services.<\/p>\n

Argyro Chioti, the National Theatre\u2019s artistic director, said accessibility should become standard practice rather than an exception.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was complex, not simple. It required months of planning. It cost money. And it required very specific organisational expertise,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut that\u2019s the standard and the level we need to reach \u2014 the major stages and the major theatres,\u201d Chioti said.<\/p>\n

(Source: Associated Press \u2013 Petros Giannakouris and Derek Gatopoulos)<\/em><\/p>\n