With the Lambeth Fringe just around the corner, I have caught up with Chris Callow about

 “Odysseus, Not Your Hero” which will be performed at The

Bread & Roses Theatre on the 1st-2nd October 2025.

https://lambethfringe.com/events/odysseus-not-your-hero

What was the inspiration behind your show?

 

The Odyssey itself has always been an inspiration, as modern Greeks grow up with these characters; from watching children’s plays based on the myth to studying the poem Ithaca by Cavafy. There are some lovely film & TV series adaptations of Greek myths out there but sadly there’s rarely an attempt to include Greek voices – either in the cast or among the writers or other creatives. I know of many Greeks who were upset at the lack of Greek actors when the cast of the upcoming Odyssey film was announced. I actually started working on this adaptation shortly after, and consulted other Greeks, including classicists & theatre friends, while working towards this version. The other main inspiration is RPG games; I wanted to explore the DM-player dynamic between Poseidon & Odysseus, as well as highlight some of the many science fiction & speculative fiction elements of the original epic.

 

How long has your production been in progress?

 

I think I started working on the script in March and sharing the drafts with friends and colleagues to edit and develop the script in advance of the deadline for Lambeth Fringe. We’re starting rehearsals now in August.

 

Where are you planning on taking the play next?

 

We are currently planning another Talos science fiction theatre festival, so hopefully we’ll take the play there next, and are hoping to take it to more festivals in 2026 or, if we secure funding, to a full run.

 

What would you like audiences to take away from your show?

 

It’s a playful show that features some role-playing & # sci-fi elements. I’d love for audiences to experience a modern Greek take on the classic story, to see how we feel about these heroes but also how we question them ourselves. There’s also a focus on the crew of Odysseus, and how they experience his journey. The audience is invited to watch the show with this perspective in mind, so we’d like them to explore who they relate to the most.

 

What are you looking forward to most about performing your show?

 

The script was written as a piece of theatre but also partly as a game. Looking forward to the jokes (and the laughs if the jokes land!) and the playfulness of the show, as well as working with a lovely team of creatives.

 

Why did you choose your particular Fringe venue?

We’ve worked with the Bread & Roses before; we staged a Talos festival there while I’ve also produced another play and directed a science fiction play there too. I feel they’re open to experimental work and are also a genuinely warm and supportive venue.

 

Which shows at the Fringe are you planning on watching?

I would really like to watch “Bog Body: A One-Woman Show”, which sounds intriguing; I’m a fan of horror (and all kinds of speculative) theatre. “The Trojan Women of Today”, which is shortly after ours, is definitely relevant and of interest. Also interested in the concept of “Beyond Unity” & “Washing Machine Vortex.”

 

 

Have you had any major hurdles to overcome to get this production on the stage?

As the Odyssey is currently a trending topic largely due to the upcoming movie, I feel eager to complete and stage this project now so that it’s a timely response both to the particular hype and modern adaptations of such myths in general. Also making sure the games-within-the-play work both as theatre and as games in themselves – but this has been a pleasant challenge.

 

 

What other productions have you previously been involved with?

I’ve produced a series of Talos science fiction theatre festivals since 2015, including at the Bread & Roses and at the Cockpit. With Cyborphic, I’ve written & directed the science fiction one-woman play Mayuri at the Kensington & Chelsea Theatre Festival, and Posthuman Meditation at the Being Human Festival. Another of my adaptations, a reconstruction of Euripides’ lost tragedy Melanippe Wise, had a rehearsed reading at the Hope Theatre. In general, the focus on Cyborphic has been on speculative theatre & adapting Greek myths.

 

Please attach any social media links that you have.

Website: https://www.cyborphic.com/

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