THE BIRDS by Aristophanes

This year, for the first time in many years, a performance destined for the Epidaurus Festival will start its journey from the 67th Philippi Festival, offering the residents of the wider area the pleasure of being the first to witness such a significant cultural event. Aristophanes’ “The Birds” will take flight from the Ancient Theater of Philippi.

After “The Persians” and “Prometheus Bound,” Aris Biniaris turns to ancient comedy for the first time.

What would happen if someone organized the birds to become the agents of a new reality?

In this iconic comedy, although the plot is fantastical, the theme is real and substantial: “The Birds” presents a new beginning that must occur outside human society, away from its saturation, decay, and corruption.

Odysseas Papaspiliopoulos and Giorgos Chrysostomou star as Pisthetaerus and Euelpides, alongside a stellar cast: Michalis Valasoglou, Stelios Iakovidis, Thanasis Isidorou, Tasos Korkos, Kostas Koronaios, Sofia Koulera, Avgoustinos Koumoulos, Maria Kyrozi, Errikos Miliaris, Marios Panagiotou, Kyriakos Salis, Alexia Sapranidou, Konstantina Takalou, and Eirini Tsellou. Together, they will attempt to establish their own ideal city in the skies, far from human society.

The story

Two friends, Pisthetaerus and Euelpides, disillusioned with the living conditions in their city, seek a new place where they can live in peace and joy. Their contact with the bird world gives them the idea to establish a new city in the sky, between earth and heaven.

As the construction of the city is progresses, uninvited visitors from the human world arrive, claiming unauthorised powers and privileges, while envoys of the gods of Olympus, disturbed by the challenge to divine sovereignty, protest as the new city prevents the smoke from sacrifices from reaching the sky.

Will Pisthetaerus and Euelpides, with the birds’ contribution, manage to complete the construction of Cloudcuckooland? How easy will it be to realise their own utopia?

The Performance

Aris Biniaris’ direction employs the element of ritual to highlight the allegorical dimensions of Aristophanes’ work. Music and movement focus on the human condition, transformation, and the restoration of cosmic justice.

With human civilization at a critical juncture, the flight of the birds resembles a ceremony of initiation and a reconnection of humans with the natural world, drawing upon the newfound power that emerges from this relationship.