This week, we welcome October, and it is a particularly busy month events wise. This week, Nicosia is packed with performances as four take place at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre to mark the start of the Nicosia International Festival.

On Wednesday, one of the most successful Greek theatre productions of the present decade, Tebas Land, enjoyed by more than 200,000, arrives in Nicosia.

Vangelis Theodoropoulos (Neos Kosmos Theatre), together with actors Dimitris Kapouranis and Thanos Lekkas, deliver a study on male identity, oppression, violence and crime, punishment and discrimination, sexuality, education, opportunities and dreams.

This contemporary study also dwells on the male identity, drawing references from the myth of Oedipus as well as Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment.

Switching gears to music, the performance Sotiria’s Songs on Thursday is a tribute to Greek singer Sotiria Bellou. An iconic voice in the historical Greek rembetiko scene, Bellou forms the inspiration of this performance. Starting from the life and songs of Bellou, Christina Maxouri, accompanied by four folk musicians, intertwines theatre and music, words and testimonies to present a unique evening.

The concert on Friday is dedicated to the memory of Clelia Petridou, a musician and architect who left a significant mark on the cultural and social life of Nicosia. She devoted her efforts to improving accessibility for people with disabilities. The Nena Venetsanou in Clelia’s Courtyard concert will feature songs from the music scene of the 60s, 70s and 80s performed in music venues like Apanemia, the Buffer Zone and Epea Ptereonta.

The week will conclude with a screening from National Theatre Live on Sunday night. The award-winning play Uncle Vanya, in an adaptation by Simon Stephens and direction by Sam Yates, features actor Andrew Scott embodying all the parts, offering a captivating one-man version of Anton Chekhov’s play.

Nicosia International Festival 2025

Performances, events and parties. Until December 28. Nicosia Municipal Theatre. Tickets and information: https://www.more.com/cy-el/tickets/theater/festival/nicosia-international-festival-2025/