Theatre of the Condemned: Classical Tragedy on Greek Prison Islands

Gonda Van Steen examines the productions of classical tragedies staged by political prisoners of the Greek Civil War (late 1940s to 1950s). She first explains the historical and political context in which these productions originated, the selections made by the prisoners, and the practical conditions under which the performances were mounted, devoting attention, too, to the prison authorities’ acts of censorship. Her main focus, however, is on the interpretation that the political detainees gave to their productions and the rationale behind specific readings. The book includes the text of an adaptation of Antigone , in the original Greek and in English translation, written by Aris Alexandrou, one of the prisoners.