We will not be bored this summer, because the programs of the Athens Festivals and of Epidaurus are rich in avant-garde productions, which will enrich our lives during the hot summer nights.

Mr. Georgios Loukos – director of the Athens Festivals and of Epidaurus announced the upcoming summer program on a press conference. 86 productions will be presented this year, which will be by authors from 30 different countries, who have the ambition to enthrall the Greek audiences.

Giorgios Loukos has been the director of the festival for the last three years and ever since he started, many things have changed. For example: 1. Festival productions can be made indoors, 2. The ancient Greek drama is not the only genre, which is acted in ancient theatres, 3. The “hard” topics are not inaccessible for the general public, 4. The spoken language is not a barrier for attracting audiences, and probably the most important thing is that people have the holiday feeling during the festival days and expect it with enthusiasm. Another important achievement is that the public is not introverted anymore – it got to know international and contemporary productions and it gained a new point of view about the visual arts.

Probably the most attractive festival program this summer is the one in Epidaurus theatre. There will be three big foreign productions with 8 plays each, which are the work of names like director Sam Mendes, Nicolas Hayder, Amos Gitai, Dimitar Gochev, Jan Moro and famous actors like, Helen Mirren, Ethan Hawke, and Rebecca Mall.

The new festival hall on 260 Piraeus street will host avant-garde productions like the ones of the German troupe for experimental theatre “Rimini Protocoll” and “Foura del Bauz,” Kalian and Uramdan. The public will be able to enjoy the performance of Charlie Chaplin daughter’s – Victoria Chaplin and of Jean-Baptiste Thiérrée “El Circo Invisible.”

The crisis managed to affect the Athens Festival and the program will be shortened to only one month and a half. Because of this, the program will not include opera, rock or jazz concerts. According to some, this is good. Also the National Opera will not participate, but it will present “Aida” in the ancient theatre Irodio before the beginning of the festival.

Both festivals will cost ?8 million but let us remind you that last year 244 000 people attended the festival and the income from the ticket sales reached ?6 500 000. Also, 50% of those people were between the ages of 20 and 30. 32% of those young people did not know about the existence of the Athens Festivals and of Epidaurus.

The Epidaurus Festival will continue until August 22^nd and the Athens Festival – from June 1^st until July 15^th.