Electra by Sophocles

Following its triumphant appearance at Epidaurus, Electra by Sophocles, Dimitris Tarlow’s first direction of an ancient drama, comes to the 68th Philippi Festival for two exclusive performances, on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 July at 21:30, at the Ancient Theatre of Philippi.

In a world plagued by authoritarianism and social injustice, in an era where violence and revenge are often framed as a “necessary evil,” Sophocles’ Electra takes on a chilling relevance. This tragedy is not merely a tale of vengeance; it is a mirror reflecting human dilemmas and the timeless conflict between justice and morality. Our production aims to highlight this complexity, inviting the audience to confront pressing questions: What does it mean to “restore justice”? What is the duty of obligation? Can one live with the consequences of violence? Is violence an inevitable solution? Will revenge ever bring the cycle of blood to an end? Is redemption ever possible? And ultimately, what is the role of resistance when all seems lost?

Electra, a member of the cursed House of Atreus, a woman trapped in this cycle of blood and horror, is more than a tragic figure, as she embodies the dilemma between the need for justice and the moral imperative to reject violence. She is not merely a tragic creature of fate, but also a product of her character, a character wholly devoted to her fight for justice. Is she herself a victim of her obsession with revenge, or a voice of resistance against the barbarity of power? And why, when the palace is finally rid of tyrants, does she not cross its threshold? Does she simply stay outside the House she hates, or does she refuse to become part of the very system she so fought? Her passion, surely, does not subside even after the moment of catharsis. 

In Electra, the poet offers no answers, the gods are absent, the oracles merely coincide with human decisions, conscience takes a back seat, and the Furies do not appear. And yet, the price paid by the survivors is a heavy one. It is this price of choice, and the human need for catharsis at any cost, that Sophocles’ Electra calls on us to consider. After all, Sophocles will give us no second chance, he will write no trilogy: his work ends here — within these 1,510 verses of striking symmetry and simplicity, every doubt and question he raises will be settled.