Theatre Of War

Theatre of War is a project presenting dramatic readings of ancient Greek tragedies for military and civilian audiences, to spark powerful conversations about the visible and invisible wounds of war.

As part of a special event for Being A Man Festival, the project will present readings from Sophocles' military tragedy Ajax by leading actors Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter, Blackhawk Down, The Green Zone), Lesley Sharp (The Full Monty, Naked, Clocking Off, Scott & Bailey) and Aidan Kelly (Treasure Island – National Theatre, MacBeth – RSC, and Once – West End).

Theatre of War founder Bryan Doerries joins these acclaimed actors on stage, before the audience takes part in a discussion about masculinity, now and in the ancient world, and the impact of war on individuals, families and communities. At this interactive performance, Sophocles Ajax is the focus of a debate aiming to generate compassion, empathy, and understanding.

Over the past five years, the organisation has communicated with 60,000 military service members, veterans and their families all over the world, using plays by Sophocles to show that suffering and healing are part of a timeless process.