The Dogs - Anestis Azas

– A Political Allegory with Comedic and Dark Undertones –

Produced by the Athens Epidaurus Festival 2024

For One-night-only performance in CyprusRIALTO THEATRESunday, June 1st, 20:30

(with English and Greek Surtitles)

Having won over both local and international audiences with the delightfully sharp Baklava Republic, Anestis Azas and his team are back with a bold new production, titled The Dogs.

A group of detective dogs appears on stage. Their mission: to uncover the truth behind the abuse and death of a husky in Arachova—a case that recently shocked the Greek public. Which version of events is true? Was the killer human, as initially reported, or did the gentle animal fall victim to a pack of wild dogs, as the official police report claims? Can these canine detectives, who’ve secretly travelled from all corners of the world, discover what really happened?

Based on a real police report, employing the techniques of documentary theatre, and drawing inspiration from film noir and Aristophanic comedy, The Dogs unfolds as a political allegory. At its core is the issue of social violence increasingly directed at the vulnerable. Can dogs deliver justice better than humans? In a dog-governed society, could abused animals finally find vindication?

Anestis Azas is one of the most innovative and talked-about directors on the contemporary Greek theatre scene. His work is marked by a rigorous investigative approach and a commitment to spotlighting social and political issues through the art of theatre. In The Dogs, he draws from real events to craft a world that is both realistic and allegorical, raising profound questions in a way that is accessible yet deeply thought-provoking. The result is a reflective experience—a political allegory with both comedic and dark undertones.

Cast: Giorgos Katsis, Elena Mavridou, Konstantinos Moraitis, Panayiotis Manouilidis, Maria Petevi, Gary Salomon, Michalis Pitidis

Concept / Directing: Anestis Azas

Text: Michalis Pitidis, Gerasimos Bekas, Anestis Azas

Music: Panayiotis Manouilidis

Sound design: Angelos Kontaxis

Set design: Dido Gogou

Costumes: Vassilia Rozana

Animal Body Training: Konstantinos Moraitis

Lights (tour in Cyprus): Yiorgos Kassakos

Lights (Athens Epidaurus Festival 2024): Eleni Choumou

Assistant director: Michalis Pitidis

Second assistant director: Ioanna Kanellopoulou

Photos: Karol Jarek

The Dogs is a production of the Athens Epidaurus Festival 2024. 

It was presented as part of grape – Greek Agora of Performance, the Festival's platform for promoting Greek artistic creation abroad. The production won the First Audience Award by National Bank of Greece – Mastercard, following a public vote.

The tour of the performance in Cyprus is supported by the Athens Epidaurus Festival.

With English & Greek Surtitles.

Date and Time of the Performance:

Sunday 1st of June 2025, 20:30

Rialto Theatre Limassol Cyprus 

Duration: 90’

Tickets online:  € 25 / 20 

https://rialto.interticket.com/program/ta-skuliaanestis-azas-3228 or  77 77 77 45 (Monday-Friday 10:00-15:00)