The “Other” Persians of Theodoros Terzopoulos

This article focuses on the 2006 interpretation of Aescylus’ Persians by the Greek theatre director Theodoros Terzopoulos. Through his systematic method, Ter- zopoulos incorporates actions and traditions into his productions, drawing from rituals, practices, and ceremonies from the East. Terzopoulos’ rendition of the historical play Per- sae, which examines the reception of the news about the Persians’ defeat by the Greeks in the “other” Persia, correlates “otherness” with universality. By employing a Greek and Turkish cast as well as rituals from “other” cultures, the director makes a claim that human attitudes and reactions are universally shared among all human beings.