The classical drama as contested heritage in modern Greece: theatre productions from private initiatives to state projects in the 1930s.

The article examines the reuse of ancient Greek theatres for classical drama performances during the interwar period, highlighting how this practice reflected and shaped Greece’s socio-cultural, political, and economic contexts. Initially driven by private theatre companies and artistic societies, such as the Euripides Dramatic Society and Linos Karzis’ companies, these performances increasingly attracted national and international attention, intertwining with the rise of archaeological tourism. From 1936 onward, state institutions—the National Theatre of Greece and the National Conservatoire—asserted control over ancient venues like the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, institutionalizing classical drama as a national project aligned with the authoritarian Metaxas regime’s ideological goals. The article also details the administrative framework governing the use of these sites, revealing tensions between private initiatives and state authorities over artistic legitimacy, heritage preservation, and tourism development.