Greek tragedy in London is having a moment, and the clock is ticking. Two of the most talked about productions of the autumn are built on Greek myths, and both close on the same night, Saturday 10 October. One puts Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss inside Sophocles at the National Theatre. The other brings Helen of Troy home to modern day Essex in Stratford. Londonist flags the Stratford show in its October guide to London; we add the Greek angle, a comedy night to balance the drama, and a Greek table near every theatre.
The stories written for stone theatres like Epidaurus 2,500 years ago still fill seats in London, and this season proves it. What makes the next ten days special is the timing: both shows below end their runs on 10 October, so if you have been meaning to see some Greek tragedy in London this year, this is the last easy chance. If a date looks sold out, keep checking the theatre’s website for returns.
Each listing links to its page on the Greek List events calendar, where you can book.
Of all the Greek tragedy in London this year, this is the big one. Writer and director Benedict Andrews pairs Sophocles’ Electra with Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 film Persona in a single evening at the Lyttelton Theatre. The first half is the ancient play: Electra, consumed by grief and rage over her murdered father, refusing to let go of her idea of justice. The second half follows an actress who has been playing Electra and suddenly stops speaking, until the woman and the role start to blur.
Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss each take two parts, Electra and Elisabeth, Clytemnestra and Alma, with Ella Lily Hyland and Patrick Robinson in the cast and music by Oscar winner Hildur Guðnadóttir. It runs about two hours with no interval. Content warnings include violence and suicide. Full details on our Electra/Persona event page.
Getting there: National Theatre, Upper Ground, South Bank SE1 9PX. Waterloo is the closest station, or walk across Waterloo Bridge from the Strand. Until Saturday 10 October, evenings at 19:30. Tickets £30 to £120.
Greek stop nearby: Elysée on Percy Street, Fitzrovia, is the classic post theatre move: take the Northern line from Waterloo to Goodge Street and you are three minutes away. The historic Greek restaurant stays open until 3:00 Monday to Saturday, with live music in the evenings, so a 21:30 curtain is no problem.
A new play by Ava Pickett takes the most famous woman in Greek myth and drops her into present day Essex. It is Helen’s first night home after a ten year war fought in her name. Her husband is ready to act as if nothing happened; her childhood friend Cee is not. Michelle Dockery, of Downton Abbey fame, plays Helen opposite Laura Aikman, and the production is the first show directed by Lisa Spirling as artistic director of Theatre Royal Stratford East.
It asks the question Homer leaves open: what happens to Helen once the fighting stops? It runs about two hours with an interval and is recommended for ages 14 and over. The audio described performance is the closing matinee on 10 October at 14:30. More on our Bloodsport event page.
Getting there: Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, E15 1BN, a few minutes on foot from Stratford station (Central, Jubilee, Elizabeth line, DLR and Overground). Evenings at 19:30, selected matinees at 14:30, until 10 October. Tickets £19 to £53.50.
Greek stop nearby: EPIC Legendary Greek Streetfood in the food court of Westfield Stratford City, on the other side of Stratford station, for gyros, souvlaki and Greek coffee. It is open 10:00 to 22:00 Monday to Saturday and until 18:00 on Sunday, so go before an evening show or straight after a matinee.
The ancient Greeks always followed their tragedies with something lighter, so do the same. On Saturday 3 October at 21:30 the Greek Canadian comedian Angelo Tsarouchas brings The Diaspora Tour to the Leicester Square Theatre. Expect family stories, culture clash and everything that comes with growing up Greek far from Greece. Tickets from £36, ages 16 and over, about 90 minutes with an interval. Details on the Angelo Tsarouchas event page.
Getting there: Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX. Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus.
Greek stop nearby: the same tip works here. Elysée on Percy Street is two stops up the Northern line from Leicester Square to Goodge Street, and on Saturdays it opens at 19:00 and keeps going until 3:00, so you can eat before the show or dance after it.
Both plays start where the Trojan War ends. Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta, leaves with Paris for Troy and the Greeks sail after her; ten years later Troy falls and Menelaus takes her home. The vase above, by the Athenian painter Polygnotos and now in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, shows him chasing her down, sword in hand.
Electra is the daughter of Agamemnon, the king who led that Greek army. When he returns victorious, his wife Clytemnestra kills him. Electra spends years waiting for her exiled brother Orestes to come back and take revenge. Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides all wrote versions, which is a good reminder of why Greek tragedy in London, Athens or anywhere still works: the questions about war, family and justice have not gone away.
If this run of Greek tragedy in London leaves you wanting more, the British Museum runs a guided visit on Greek vase painting on 9 October (see below). And if you see either show, tell us what you thought in the Ellines sto Londino group; few things start a better argument among Greeks than whether a modern version respects the original.
Greek tragedy in London is only part of the calendar. Greek List events is the most complete list of Greek events in the UK, and listing an event is free. Coming up in the next ten days:
The Greek restaurants in this guide are Greek List members. Every month more than 100,000 Greeks and Cypriots in the UK find businesses through Greek List, on the site, in our newsletter and in the Ellines sto Londino Facebook group, and our listings rank first on Google for Greek searches in London.
Seen one of the plays, or planning to? Tell us in the Facebook group Ellines sto Londino.
