Greek disabled actors stage wartime production amid Odyssey revival

The National Theater of Greece staged Euripides' Trojan Women at the ancient Epidaurus theater on Aug. 2 with a 22-person cast of disabled and non-disabled performers, presenting what organizers called the first fully accessible performance in the venue's roughly 2,300-year history. The production emphasized the suffering left behind by war rather than heroic returns, and arrived as Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey renewed global interest in Homer. Accessibility services for the performance included Braille programs, tactile models, live audio description for blind patrons, overhead titles for deaf spectators, and physical adaptations across the site. Liminal, a nonprofit, designed the accessibility services with financial support from Alpha Bank. Paralympic gold medalist Greg Polychronidis called the event a celebration of equality and an example to follow, while cast member Eirini Kourouvani, who uses a wheelchair, said standing on the ancient stage made her "feel my heart opening up as wide as this theater is." Artistic director Argyro Chioti said the production required months of planning, specific expertise, and money, and she urged that such accessibility become the standard at major stages and theaters. Psychologist Ioanna-Maria Gertsou attended with her guide dog and said accessible performances give people the right to attend on an equal footing.