Back again this August and September is the Lympia Theatre Festival, which returns for its 18th edition. From August 27 to September 8, Idalion Amphitheatre in the suburbs of Nicosia will host a series of productions from Cyprus and Greece. Eight theatrical evenings are planned for the Greek speakers of the island.

Kickstarting this year’s festival is the play Black Money by Ray Cooney, presented on August 27. Directed by Sophocles Sophocleous and Sophocles Kaskaounias, the play will be performed by the local theatrical group Paravasi Lympia for one night only. On the following evening, Parodia theatre group will present the local performance Souppa Louma by Dorotheos Dorotheou.

Two days later, on August 30, Apokliroi-Skinovates will put on Aristophanes’ Ecclesiazusae, translated by Kostas Montis, under Myria Choplarou’s direction. September’s first performance will be held on the first evening of the month as Tabula Rasa presents Robert Thomas’ Double Game in an adaptation of the production’s director, Eleni Antoniou

Up next is a performance by the Kalo Chorio Larnaca Cultural Association theatre group Characteres. They will present We Are Losing the Uncle on September 3. Another rural theatre group, that of Derynia Municipality, will take part in the festival presenting Gambros gia Klamataa on September 4.

The final two performances will be held on September 6 with Teatro Angelico’s Till Death Do Us Part? and on September 8 with Geroskipou’s theatre group Vourate na Armasoume tin Andrianou.

All performances will start at 8.30pm and ticket sales have already begun at Thimonia Bakery, Silver Kiosk Pera Chorio and Shialos Kiosk in Lympia.

18th Lympia Theatre Festival

Theatre performances from Cyprus and Greece. August 27-September 8. Idalion Amphitheatre, Nicosia. 8.30pm. In Greek. €15, free for children under 12. Tel: 99-787090, 99-762891