The Greek Play

One of the highlights of the Classics calendar at King’s is the annual Greek Play.

Although classical drama has been performed at the university since the late nineteenth century, the Greek Play in its current form was inaugurated in 1953. King’s remains the only university in the country to perform a piece of Greek drama wholly or partially in the original language each and every academic year.

The play is overseen by national-touring theatre company Actors of Dionysus, ‘the UK’s leading interpreters of ancient Greek drama’ who have been performing Greek tragedy, comedy and new writing inspired by myth, since 1993.

This year’s production, The Clouds- adapted by Giulia Balsamo after Aristophanes- explores the tension between fate and freedom, bringing ancient voices to life with a bold, contemporary edge. We’re excited to build a team that will help bring this vision to life from page to stage.

The Greek Play returns this March with a fresh take on a timeless classic. We’re currently assembling our Production Team – if you’re interested in getting involved behind the scenes, email Laura at laura@actorsofdionysus.com.

General enquiries & ticketing information

Contact our team today with any Greek Play-related queries or questions/issues regarding tickets:

greekplay@kcl.ac.uk

King's Greek Play 2026: The Clouds

"Does being righteous equate to being right? Can democracy endure in a post-truth world? This reinterpretation of Aristophanes’ The Clouds explores the dangers of idealism and intellectualism in their emptiest forms. In today’s political climate, rife with propaganda and violence, it feels more urgent than ever to reflect on the strategies we choose and the sacrifices we are willing to make in the pursuit of a better world. I am thrilled to be directing this year’s KCL Greek Play and eager to begin this journey." -Director

History of the Greek Play

The spectacular success of the inaugural 1953 performance of Hippolytus ensured the Greek Play became a King’s College London tradition. For the rest of the 1950s, tragedies dominated the stage - subsequent performances included Medea (1955), Electra (1956) and Ajax (1958). The start of a new decade also saw the first performance of a comedy – Menander’s Dyscolus. Since then, both genres have enjoyed relatively equal footing.

The creation of the University of London Festival of Greek Drama in 1987 signified another important change. The Greek Play’s involvement in this “annual season of live performances” led to wider exposure, something that we particularly aim for every year. Our tours to various universities in the US and Canada can be seen as a further step in this direction.

The success of the King’s Greek Play has often been attributed to its remarkable juxtaposition of the traditional elements of an ancient play with refreshing and often challenging new concepts. Whatever a particular director’s interpretation of the time-honoured texts, by coming to our play every spring, you will be guaranteed a unique and exciting experience. See our Greek Play Archive below for details of previous performances, organised by decade, dating all the way back from 1953's Hippolytus to 2023s Iphigeneia.

Get involved · Greek Play 2026

2026 brings the Greek Play back to Spring!

As Executive Directors on the project Actors of Dionysus are currently seeking Creative Pitches from King's students wishing to embark on a cultural adventure which culminates with a run at London’s lovely Greenwood Theatre 3 to 5 March (exact dates and times to be confirmed).

We are seeking dynamic students with vision and creativity. Please provide a detailed pitch either by word doc, pdf booklet or video including your concept, source material, design images, etc and forward to info@actorsofdionysus.com.

Be realistic in terms of ambition and scope, bearing in mind that we have a shorter time period moving from the summer back to Spring.

Gather your ideas and consider your pitches now!

Deadline for submissions is 26th September!