Famous actress who finds being alone a blessing
THEO PANAYIDES meets a star of stage and small screen for 40 years who is a confirmed introvert but is now standing for MP – not because it was a long-held dream, ...
Turkish Cypriot collector aims to leave his mark
In a man who has cleaned up a cemetary in Bellapais and is the father of casinos in the north, AGNIESZKA RAKOCZY finds a man frustrated by the unchanging view ...
Banker turned kebab-maker now in the business of having fun
In a former bank employee who now runs a kebab shop, THEO PANAYIDES finds a bon viveur who is also bookish, a character who likes to drink and has a ...
Family therapist finds the joy in life
In a relationship psychotherapist, THEO PANAYIDES finds a serene woman who believes in togetherness, resilience and flexibility
There’s a framed photo on the wall of the office – a film ...
Social justice warrior with an opinion on everything
THEO PANAYIDES finds there is never a dull moment in the life of a fearless grandma who loves to protest and is now standing to become an MP with the ...
DVD club owner hangs on to a vanishing sector
In the owner of one of the island’s last DVD clubs, THEO PANAYIDES finds a man looking for a kinder world who rests his mind in the films around ...
Rome-based writer-director living life at a gallop
In a poet, essayist, translator and theatre director THEO PANAYIDES meets an impulsive woman who best expresses herself through other people
Poet, translator, essayist, theatre director… We’ve been talking ...
Aspiring MP talks dogs, Covid and personal responsibility
For an outspoken animal-assisted therapist, standing for MP is a long shot. THEO PANAYIDES meets a man with a sense that life is getting worse who is keen to overthrow ...
From London barrister to conceptual artist
THEO PANAYIDES meets a performance artist whose past life as a barrister is a far cry from the pomegranates, earth, sky, and measuring the sea in buckets of her current ...
Pyla community leader on his unusual village
In the mayor of the mixed village of Pyla, THEO PANAYIDES finds a man who acts as a buffer to many sides, having seen his village move from petrol lamps ...
Adventurous film star on a quest for experience
In the latest Hollywood star drawn to the island to take part in a film, THEO PANAYIDES meets the proverbial hardest working man in showbiz who credits yoga and walking ...
Psychic medium is a link to the spirit world
In an energetic woman, and keen bridge player, THEO PANAYIDES meets a link to the spiritual world, a woman who will connect with dead relatives but loves life in this ...
A focus on maths
The youngest person to ever get a GCSE in maths now teaches at a university in the north although being the youngest person in the room has never bothered him. ...
Comedian and podcaster says ‘nothing is taboo’
In a member of the island’s fledgling stand-up community and the mind behind the island’s most downloaded podcast, THEO PANAYIDES finds a serious person with a wicked sense ...
Survivor of sex trafficking chooses healing over anger
A former sex slave tells THEO PANAYIDES she was molested as a teenager and branded a troubled kid. But, while laws are needed to stop trafficking, both sides involved in ...
The musician in his castle
Renowned composer Savvas Savva tells THEO PANAYIDES why financial insecurity and three failed marriages is the price to pay for the freedom to write music
You can tell a lot ...
Bookish lawyer-politician dreams of a better world
In a pillar of the Establishment, THEO PANAYIDES finds a well-spoken former minister who puts his faith in rational politics and compromise
Marios Eliades reaches back casually – I’ve asked ...