Back for its second half is the 29th Cultural Festival of the University of Cyprus, which will continue to present high-quality cultural productions, filling Nicosia’s evenings with exemplary performances. From September to October, 19 events will be held at the Michalis Pieris Cultural Centre (Axiothea Mansion), enriching the festival’s programme with productions that span Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Colombia, the United States, China, Korea, Iran and Kurdistan.

Restarting the late-summer/autumn agenda is the Persona Theatre Company’s Seven Against Thebes by Aeschylus on Saturday, September 5. The production that was created for the 29th International Ancient Greek Drama Festival 2026, by Lea Maleni, now travels to Nicosia.

In Maleni’s stage interpretation, the ancient Greek tragedy provides the impetus for a contemporary reflection on war and the mechanisms that perpetuate it. Revenge breeds new crime, violence begets violence, and the need to survive often drives people to the destruction of others and, ultimately, to their own destruction. The myth is not treated as a distant past, but as a pattern that resurfaces throughout history.

A defining element of the production is its multilingualism. Seven different languages —including Arabic, Farsi, Somali, Hindi and Serbian— are spoken live on stage and form an integral part of the performance. The languages of people and places that have known war, forced displacement and loss meet on stage, carrying different memories and experiences.

These different voices come together, bringing Aeschylus’ tragedy into dialogue with the realities of the present. The production was originally funded by the Cyprus Centre of the International Theatre Institute and the Deputy Ministry of Culture, which also served as co-organisers.

Now, its cast, musicians, director and producers travel to the capital to launch the second part of the Cultural Festival of the University of Cyprus, kickstarting a rich two-month agenda of iconic performances from both local and international artists.

Seven Against Thebes by Aeschylus

Theatre performance by Persona Theatre Company. Directed by Lea Maleni. September 5. Part of the 29th Cultural Festival of the University of Cyprus. Michalis Pieris Cultural Centre (Axiothea Mansion), Nicosia. 8.30pm. €10. Tel: 22-894531. [email protected]