Selection of critical articles A

Fotis Politis (1890–1934) was a great ‘man of the theatre’ of the interwar period, who served the theatre in many capacities: as a translator, director, critic and collaborator with the National Theatre. He studied law in Germany, where he acquired a theatrical education, influenced by Max Reinhardt’s views on the modern approach to ancient Greek drama and contemporary theatre. After returning to Greece, he worked professionally as a theatre critic, writing for the newspapers "Proia" and "Politia", whilst also pursuing poetry and playwriting.

In 1919, he translated and directed “Oedipus the Tyrant”, with Emilios Veakis in the title role, in a production that left its mark on the era. From 1932 until the end of his life, he collaborated with the National Theatre as a director and helped to build its roster with some of the biggest names in the theatre world and the most prominent figures of the era. Although he was open to contemporary influences and his productions were often experimental, he insisted on the importance of preserving the classical repertoire in theatre, a task continued by his successors Dimitris Rontiris and Alexis Minotis.