We'll Always Have Athens

For Greek director Elli Papakonstantinou, theatre has no boundaries. Her experimental productions boldly reinterpret stories, characters and themes from the ancient Greek Classics, in order to help us make sense of the world today. In 2011, she founded Vrysodepseio, one of the most vital cultural spaces in Athens during the crisis years and continues to challenge audiences around the world. In this episode, she explains why the Greek Classics are still relevant today and how the psychological and political insights they contain will forever continue to heal and enlighten us.

British author Victoria Hislop first visited Athens as a teenager, during the summer of 1977, and was captivated by the heat, the people … and feta. Since then she's been back nearly every year and credits Athens as a major source of inspiration for her work, which includes her bestselling historical novel, The Island. In this episode, she takes us on a journey back to 20th-century Athens through her latest book, Those Who Are Loved, and talks about how the city continues to inspire her as an author to this day.

They call her the "Queen of Prints" – and for good reason. Athens-born fashion designer Mary Katrantzou's eye-popping digital prints have lit up the catwalks of London, Paris, Milan and New York. It was only recently though that Katrantzou fulfilled her ambition of hosting a show in Athens: a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the ancient Temple of Poseidon. Katrantzou joins us from London to give a vivid retelling of what she calls the biggest challenge of her career, and how she draws inspiration from the many faces of Athens.

Introducing our brand new podcast from This Is Athens, the official guide to the city of Athens. We invite you to explore this ancient metropolis' art, history and urban culture with our stellar cast of hosts- and find out why it's so much more than just a living museum. Coming soon! Visit: www.thisisathens.org Produced by The Greek Podcast Project