Warrior-king Odysseus is on the way home after the Trojan War. But his questionable methods have upset the Sea God Poseidon; the God captures Odysseus and challenges him to a series of games to prove his worth – from cooking for a cannibal Cyclops to resisting the song of Siren influencers. Who is the real hero of the Odyssey, the king or the people?
The Bread and Roses pub theatre has had a major re-fit since I was last there pre-pandemic. With ceiling bars and a lighting installation it’s a huge improvement. The staff also very welcoming.
Writer/performer Christos Callow Jr has taken classical Greek literature and brought it upto date in a humorous comedy loosely based on the originals. We have AI, electronic tablets rather than chalk and slate, and audience interaction that sometimes feel more cabaret than play. It all works very well.
With a genuine rapport built with the audience it isn’t long before some are making suggestions and even correcting the dialogue. Some of the audience are supposedly cooked for eating while others might be sacrificed to appease Poseidon. Ulysses, Zeus, Cyclops all make their appearance while Cerberus, the 7 headed-dog and hound of Hades, was mentioned but sadly didn’t appear.
Christos, who wrote this play, has an easy-going manner and a colloquial way of talking that puts everyone at ease. He’s very personable. I’m not a fan of socks and sandals but hey, ho, it’s a choice.
It’s a whirlwind of characters and stories bound together in an informal manner which makes it perfect for an audience of today. Although the story is whirlwind occasionally the pace slipped a little, some of which was due to slower audience responses. The humour strayed slightly into the adult range and if checked this would make a fantastic theatre-in-education tour to raise the awareness of the Greek Classics’ stories.
Cast:
Christos Callow Jr (Odysseus)
Anastasia Thiras (Poseidon, Siren, Cyclops)
Kat Kourbeti (Nausicaa)
Amelia Kyriacou (Costume & Stage Design)
Cyborphic (Theatre Company)
Cyborphic is a London-based science fiction & Greek theatre company run by theatremakers & scholars Christos Callow Jr & Andriana Domouzi. It seeks to promote science fiction in the theatre, as well as the work of contemporary Greek artists in the UK and new versions of classical Greek theatre, especially lost Greek drama. More: https://www.cyborphic.com/
Social Media of Cyborphic
Website: https://www.cyborphic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyborphic/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/cyborphic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cyborphic/
About Lambeth Fringe Festival:
A 4 week Performing Arts Festival in South London – this year’s festival runs 25th September – 25th October 2025. The Lambeth Fringe (formerly The Clapham Fringe) is a yearly festival running since 2015 from the team behind The Bread & Roses Theatre. https://lambethfringe.com/