Book Review: Welcome to Thebes

I envy you, you know Envy the adventure, the extremity Our lives in Athens seems mundane We have no tragedy. And tragedy reminds us how to live

Boy, this play didn't pull any punches. It goes straight for the jugular and is one of the most fabulous feminist writings of the year. And let's be honest here, I’ve read a fair few in the past few months. Moira Buffini is an amazing playwright, and her inspiration for this devastating play is ancient Greek and Roman mythology, specifically the rise and spectacular fall of Thebes. I somewhat knew what I was getting into as I had previously read Antigone by Sophocles (which is excellent, by the way, and I would highly recommend it). But Buffini’s interpretation of Greek Mythology brings it firmly into a 20th/21st-century context, and the results are phenomenal. I only wish I got to see it!

Civil war has devastated Thebes, and Theseus has arrived from Athens to introduce democracy to the broken and war-torn people. There is an essence of fragile hope as the people wish to rebuild their lives after the destruction caused by war. Their incumbent president, Euridyce, promises peace and stability but is betting much of her success on Theseus lending his support. But peace isn't guaranteed. There is a lot of trauma to unpack here, war crimes, death, destruction and the loss of innocence. I would say that there is a resounding theme of hope, but also of desperation.

Greek tragedy has always been one of my favourite genres of literature. I wish more plays by Sophocles and Euripides had survived the test of time. But Greek and Roman mythology have, thankfully, or else I’m not sure Buffini could have written such an elevated version of the genre. Whilst the play was written in 2010, and it is now 2025, that is not to say it is no longer relevant - if you take a quick peak at the news, certain areas of the world are currently being ravaged by war and power is being brutally abused to the point of human rights abuses. The most intense view of abuse of power is seen in the character Tydeus, leader of the opposition to Eurydice. He is a war criminal, having killed children, needlessly burned villages to the ground and is the main perpetrator of sexual assault against women in girls during the war. He is the antithesis of Eurydice; he is all about action and is able to speak to the soldier within Theseus. He nearly succeeds in gaining Theseus’ support to usurp Euridyce until his war crimes are revealed.

There are a lot of feminist themes, particularly in the characters of Antigone, Iseme, Maegara and of course, Eurydice. Antigone and Iseme are the relics of a fallen house of power and are trying to reconcile who they are and carve a destiny for themselves in the aftermath of war. Maegara is a war child after being brutalised by Tydeus’s troops - she lost her family, her mother, sisters and the girl she once was. She, in Greek Mythology, is one of the furies, and boy does she bring the female rage. Eurydice is the classic woman trying to be taken seriously in politics. She is in a disadvantaged position - not only because she is a woman but because she is the leader of a war-torn city. Thesus abuses this and propositions her, after all, just how badly does she need his help?

I will say that this play ends hopefully - a sort of partnership has formed between Theseus and Eurydice, despite their differences and differing stances on peace and politics. But politics isn’t about making friends, it's about allegiances and trusting enough to get what you want but not enough to show your hand.