The Oxford Triennial Greek Play, a Celtic reimagining of Euripides' tragedy Iphigenia at Aulis by the Oxford Classical Drama Society.
The Oxford Classical Drama Society are bringing Euripides' Iphigenia at Aulis to the Oxford Playhouse from Wednesday 4 to Saturday 7 November. It's the latest edition of the Oxford Triennial Greek Play, a university tradition that only comes around once every three years, so if you missed the last one, this is your next chance to catch it.
The play itself is stark. Artemis is withholding the winds the Greeks need to sail to Troy, and she won't let them go unless a virgin is sacrificed at her altar. That puts Agamemnon in a terrible position, and he ends up sending for his own daughter, Iphigenia. It's a heavy setup, and the production leans into it.
What makes this version stand out is the Celtic reimagining. The Greek world is swapped for a Celtic one: Achilles wears tartan, the Greek generals are in Irish saffron, and the chorus dances to flutes and fiddles. There's an original score by Oxford music student Peter Hardisty, performed live by a traditional céilà band. The production team describes the Celtic aesthetic as a deliberate choice, meant to bring out Aulis's rural isolation and to complicate ideas of nationalist identity.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Oxford and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
Behind the scenes, the play is directed by Wally McCabe with Kelly Yu, and the new English translation comes from Alexander Lafferty, Evelyn Watterson and Nathaniel Denton. The run is short—four evening performances and two matinees over four days—and the audience tends to be a real mix: classics students, theatre-goers, local residents and alumni. If you want a bit of background before the curtain goes up, Oxford's Classics Faculty is running pre-show lectures open to everyone on the nights. Tickets are £5 for 14-25s, with a 50% discount for friends.
