International conference “Beyond Mother Goddesses: Toward an Archaeology of Motherhood and Religion”, hosted by Comenius University Bratislava on 19–20 May 2026
May 13, 2026
“Representations of Breastfeeding in Byzantine Literature and Art” Closing Ceremony Lecture of the Tamasos Free University
May 26, 2026
Dangerous Women of Byzantium on Stage: Embodying Theodora
26 May 2026, 11:00–13:00
Satiriko Theatre (Vladimiros Kafkaridis Street 11–15, 2102 Aglantzia)
How is one of the most controversial female figures of Byzantine history embodied on stage today? In what ways do contemporary theatrical representations attempt to “redeem” Theodora from the legends and writings that have long stigmatized her, and to what extent do they ultimately reproduce enduring gender stereotypes?
The workshop “Dangerous Women of Byzantium on Stage: Embodying Theodora” invites actors, theatre students, and all those interested to explore, through practical performance exercises, the construction of Theodora as a theatrical figure and the gendered narrative conventions that continue to shape her representation.
Through a two-hour interactive workshop, joined with a themed event, participants will engage with questions such as:
- How are stereotypical identities inscribed onto the female body through historical and theatrical storytelling?
- Why does female suffering so often function as a mechanism for generating audience sympathy?
- Who has the authority to define the transformation and “moral redemption” of a historical female figure?
- How can theatrical practice resist inherited representational clichés?
Combining critical reflection with practical stage exploration, the workshop focuses on the figure of Empress Theodora as a lens through which to examine the relationship between history, gender, and performance.
The workshop will be facilitated by Professor Avra Sidiropoulou (Open University of Cyprus), Dr Andria Andreou (University of Cyprus), and Maria Diplarou (PhD Candidate, Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Cyprus).
The event is organised within the framework of the research project “Byzantines on Stage: Reimagining Byzantium in Modern Greek Theatrical Production” (BStage), which investigates the ways in which the Byzantine past re-emerges in contemporary theatrical creation. The project is coordinated by the University of Cyprus, through the Centre for Medieval Arts and Rituals, and is implemented under the Cohesion Policy Programme THALIA 2021–2027 (“Excellence Hubs”, EXCELLENCE/0524/0251), co-funded by the European Union through the Research and Innovation Foundation.
The event is open to the public with free admission. Pre-registration is required.
For further information, please contact Andria Andreou at [email protected] or visit the official project website (www.ucy.ac.cy/bstage/) .
BStage is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Foundation of Research and Innovation (EXCELLENCE/0524/0251)
