At the centre of Ajax, Sophocles places a hero who cannot keep pace with his surroundings and his time. While the world is rapidly changing, while oaths are broken and relationships are shaped by individual interest, while a new more democratic civil society is emerging, Ajax is immovable. When he is tricked out of Achilles’ armour, the greatest recognition of his prowess as a warrior, he is overcome by the desire to take revenge on those who have wronged him. The goddess Athena deludes him into directing his fury against the cattle and their herdsmen. When he comes to his senses and realises his error, it is impossible for him to carry on living with the shame of what he has done; he has lost his identity. His time is up and his suicide marks the end of an era. The new age is more like a deep timeless winter of mourning and a new immobile network of people is trapped and revealed.

The National Theatre of Greece presents Sophocles tragedy Ajax, directed by Argyris Xafis in his first production at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus.

Theatre performance with surtitles in English