A theater is reimagining Homer’s Odyssey through the agony of Ukraine’s war

In the war-torn capital of Kyiv, Ukraine, a new stage has emerged for the timeless tale of Homer's Odyssey. The epic narrative, which once told of death, captivity, the agonizing wait, and the pull of home, has been reimagined as a contemporary Ukrainian odyssey titled "Odysseus, Maeotis." This adaptation features professional actors and active-duty soldiers, including Daniil Mireshkin, who plays the warrior king Odysseus.

Mireshkin believes that the fusion of myth and modernity allows audiences to draw parallels between the ancient story and the critical question of return - the return of military personnel to civilian life, the restoration of territories, and the reaffirmation of Ukrainian identity. The production, which has faced multiple delays due to Russian attacks, aims to address these themes in a way that remains relevant despite the changing nature of warfare.

The staging at the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater is deliberately austere and unsettling, with drones and robotic war machines replacing the original monsters - the Cyclops and the sirens. The play unfolds in parallel, following both Odysseus' perilous journey home and the long wait of his wife, Penelope. Directed by Ivan Uryvskyi, the play takes creative liberties with Homer's original text, focusing on the core narrative arc of Odysseus' return.

The title "Maeotis" pays homage to the ancient name for the Sea of Azov, a region once considered the edge of the known world and currently home to Mariupol, a port city seized by Russia after a 2022 siege. Based on accounts from the defenders of the Azov brigade, which is now part of the National Guard of Ukraine, the play draws on a year of interviews with former prisoners of war. An estimated 600 Azov brigade servicemen remain in Russian captivity.

For Daryna Leheida, who portrays Penelope, the ancient queen's story resonates deeply with the experiences of Ukrainian women who wait for their loved ones to return. She notes that the play explores the fate of these women, who must endure hope, powerlessness, and the toll that war takes on their well-being.