
GEORGE PEFANIS (CHAIR)
Professor
Theatre Studies – Philosophy and Theory of Theatre and Drama
Professor of Philosophy and Theory of Theatre and Drama in the Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA, and Chair of the Department (2022–2026). He taught History of Theatre and Cinema at the Hellenic Open University (2008–2025; Coordinator: 2017–2026), as well as Theatre in the postgraduate programme of the Open University of Cyprus (2012–2013).
He served as editor of Paravasis (2003–2013) and, since 2022, as its director. He is also Director of the book series “Theatrical Topoi” (Papazisis Publications, with more than 65 volumes to date).
He has published 28 books on theatre, philosophy, literature, and cinema, more than two hundred scholarly studies, and over three hundred theatre reviews. His articles and studies have appeared in Greek and international academic journals, such as Annuaire Théâtral (Canada), New Theatre Quarterly (United Kingdom), Cahiers balkaniques, Revue des Études Néohelléniques (France), Italohellenica, Culture Teatrali, Itinera (Italy), Journal of Modern Greek Studies (USA), and Estudios Neogriegos (Spain).
In parallel, he writes articles for To Vima and theatre reviews for CNN Greece.
He has worked as a researcher at the Centre for Research of Greek Folklore of the Academy of Athens (1999–2002), as dramaturg of the National Theatre of Greece (1998–2000), and of the International Street Theatre Festival (2009–2013). He has collaborated with leading theatre organisations in Greece and abroad, including the Moscow Art Theatre.
He participated in the research team “JE 2487: Le Grec et l’Autre: perception des différences et des ressemblances” at Paul Valéry University – Montpellier III, Department of Modern Greek Studies.
In 2006, he received the Award for Best Theatre Research from the Association of Greek Theatre and Music Critics for his book The Kingdom of Eugenia: Intertextual and Anthropological Readings of Eugenia by Theodoros Montseleze (Alexandria Publications, 2005).
Research Interests
- Philosophy and theory of theatre and drama
- History of theatre and cinema
- The relationship between theatre, literature, and philosophy (intertextuality)
- Theatre criticism and performance reception
- Modern Greek and comparative theatre studies
Participation in Programmes
- Principal Investigator of the research project “Digital approaches to archival research on Modern Greek theatre: exploring the archive of the creator Giorgos Patsas”.
- From 2008 to 2012, member of the Research Team JE 2487: “Le Grec et l’Autre: perception des différences et des ressemblances”, Université Paul Valéry, Montpellier III, Département d’Études Néohelléniques, with sustained collaboration on issues concerning history and memory, identity formation, and the creation of continuities and ruptures with tradition, both in Greek dramaturgy and in stage practice in relation to corresponding traditions, such as the French one.
Publications (selected)
- George P. Pefanis: Thiasotes and Philosophers: Outline of a Theatre-Philosophy, Papazisis, Athens 2016.
- George P. Pefanis: Theatrical Bestiaria: Theatrical and Philosophical Scenes of Animality, Papazisis, Athens 2018.
- George P. Pefanis: “Philosophy and Theatre: Cornelius Castoriadis on the Imaginary Structure of Meaning in Theatre and Performance”, in Vrasidas Karalis (ed.), Cornelius Castoriadis and Radical Democracy, Brill, Leiden-Boston 2014, pp. 117–136.
- George P. Pefanis: “Performative and moral issues in the theatrical metaphor”, Itinera 13, 2017, pp. 93–108.
- George P. Pefanis: “Is the ‘Animal-Event’ Possible? Animal Precariousness and Moral Indeterminacy in Performance”, New Theatre Quarterly (NTQ) 34:2, 2018, pp. 176–185.
- George P. Pefanis: “Archive, Repertory, Supplement: Thinking Theatre through Intersections”, New Theatre Quarterly 36:3, 2020, pp. 249–255.
- George P. Pefanis: “Dystopies, heterotopies, limitrophies et autres idiomes théâtraux du lieu”, in Constantin Bobas, Arthur Muller, Platon Pétridis (eds.), Mondes méditerranéens. Perceptions et transformations de l’espace, Peter Lang, Brussels 2022, pp. 129–139.
- George P. Pefanis: “Scènes et repas. La performance du repas et de la mort chez Rodrigo García et Vassilis Ziogas”, Cahiers balkaniques, 2016, pp. 17–27. URL: http://ceb.revues.org/6123
Books / Monographs
- Popular Bards and Dramatists: The Dramatization of Folk Ballads, Kapa Publishing, Athens 2026.
- Return to the Inner Troupe: New Approaches to the Work of Iakovos Kambanellis (scientific co-editing with Thaleia Bousiopoulou), Aigokeros, Athens 2023.
- Research, Composition, Interpretation: Approaching the Theatre of Spyros A. Evanghelatos (scientific co-editing with Panagiotis Michalopoulos), Papazisis, Athens 2023.
Current Topics
- Topic 1 — short description.
- Topic 2 — short description.
Conferences / Talks
- 2025 — Title, Institution, City.
- 2024 — Title, Institution, City.
