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 The Dogs, produced by the Athens Epidaurus Festival 2024. On June 1, the production arrives in Cyprus for a single performance at Rialto Theatre in Limassol.

Azas takes a real-life case that shocked the Greek public — the abuse and death of a husky in Arachova — and turns it into a theatrical investigation. On stage, a team of detective dogs steps in to uncover the truth. Did a human commit the crime, as initially reported? Or was the animal attacked by a pack of wild dogs, as the official police report claims? And can a group of undercover canine detectives really find out what happened?

Drawing from a real police file, The Dogs uses documentary theatre, film noir stylings and flashes of Aristophanic comedy to create a layered, political allegory. At its heart lies a timely question: in a world where violence increasingly targets the vulnerable, who delivers justice — and can animals do it better than humans?

Known for his investigative approach and socially engaged storytelling, Azas is a key figure in contemporary Greek theatre. With The Dogs, he blurs the line between the absurd and the painfully real, delivering a production that’s both darkly funny and sharply reflective.

The Dogs

Bold new and renowned performance by Anestis Azas. June 1. Rialto Theatre, Limassol. 8.30pm. In Greek with English and Greek surtitles. €20-25. www.rialto.com.cy