Oedipus at Onassis Stegi

Chaos unfolds in a workplace. A young man wearing a tank top lies face down on the floor. Above him, a man in a suit looks on in shock, while a third man in a suit on the right storms away, dragging a red chair in his path, about to knock it over. A young woman in jeans appears to be trying to stop him, her arms outstretched toward him.

Are you ready to see Oedipus in a contemporary reality?

Following a sold-out run in London’s West End, and almost right alongside its run on Broadway in New York, the Olivier Award-winning arresting rewriting of Sophocles’ tragedy arrives at Onassis Stegi. Directed by Robert Icke, his “Oedipus” premieres on the Onassis Stegi Main Stage on November 20, this time featuring a Greek cast.

Oedipus becomes accessible for 3 performances on December 18, 19 and 20 with:

  • Greek Sign Language Interpretation and
  • Surtitling for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing audiences

and with

  • Touch Tour and
  • Audio description for blind and low-vision audiences

An outstanding cast

In the lead roles, two legends of Greek theatre, Nikos Kouris and Karyofyllia Karabeti, bring Oedipus and Jocasta to life. Joining them are the exceptional Lazaros Georgakopoulos as Creon and Rania Oikonomidou as Merope (a character introduced by Icke), alongside Kostas Nikouli, Socratis Patsikas, Takis Sakellariou, Chara Giota, Giorgos Ziakas, Giannis Tsoumarakis, and Danai-Arsenia Filidou, who form the ensemble of family members and attendees at a political gathering that spirals out of control. Outstanding performances by leading Greek actors, unexpected twists, secrets, and intense conflicts will take your breath away.

In a large workspace filled with desks, chairs, screens, and folders all around, a woman in a cream trench coat waves with her hand raised to greet those present, as if she has just entered the room. The other people are smiling, except for an older woman in the front who stands sullenly, holding her bag in her hands.

Translated into Greek by Nikos Chatzopoulos, with Prodromos Tsinikoris as Associate Director for the Greek version. Charged with political, erotic, and existential tension, this is an electrifying version of “Oedipus” not to be missed.

International Recognition

The acclaimed British director and playwright Robert Icke delivers an explosive adaptation of Oedipus, transforming it into a dark, gripping political-and-family thriller that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

His Oedipus won two prizes at the prestigious Olivier Awards, while Robert Icke is the youngest Olivier Award-winning director in history.

In an empty space, a timer with red digits in the back right shows 32 minutes and 30 seconds. In the front and center, a man and a woman, both around 45, sit on metal chairs facing each other, their foreheads touching and their hands barely touching, as if discussing something private.

Writer and director Robert Icke reinvents the well-known story as a taut political thriller. Icke deliberately follows ancient Greek dramatic tradition by setting his play in a single space, the action spooling out in real time—which makes its eventual departure from convention yet another shock. The truth is literally blinding, here—and deafening, too—but he makes it impossible to look away, even for a moment.

The Stage – Dave Fargnoli

Brought to life with gripping intensity, sardonic humor, and scenes that echo both political thriller and family tragedy, British playwright and director Robert Icke—known to Greek audiences from The Doctor and his adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984—returns with an Oedipus that cannot be ignored.

What happens when everything you believed in collapses?

Accessibility in Oedipus

On Thursday 18, Friday 19 and Saturday 20 of December 2025 the performances of Oedipus will be accompanied by live Greek Sign Language Interpretation, Surtitling for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing audiences. For blind and low-vision audiences, a Touch Tour will take place one hour before the scheduled start of the performance, while Audio Description will be provided during the show.

Accessibility Credits

Accessibility Services: liminal
Audio Description: Anna Dimkou, Maria Thrasyvoulidi
Narration and Touch Tour: Maria Thrasyvoulidi
Interpretation in Greek Sign Language: Ada Galani, Androniki Xanthopoulou
Surtitling for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Anna Dimkou, Grigoris Stathopoulos
Quality Control: Eva Gkritzali, Andreas Plemmenos

A woman around 80, wearing glasses and a cardigan draped over her shoulders, sits on a gray sofa positioned perpendicular to the space. She speaks to a younger man in a burgundy sweater and blue trousers, who watches her attentively while sitting on the floor. As they converse in profile, a timer with red digits in the background shows 9 minutes and 3 seconds.

What you need to know

The performance is not recommended for children under 15.

The duration of the performance is 130 minutes with no intermission.  

The performance includes a loud gunshot sound from a prop firearm.

For audience members with visual impairments who wish to participate in the Touch Tour, the meeting point is the foyer of the Onassis Foundation Cultural Center at 19:30.

Please contact [email protected] or call 213 017 8036 to book accessibility tickets.  

Accessibility services are provided with the support of the Europe Beyond Access network, co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme.