The Athens Epidaurus Festival welcomes internationally acclaimed playwright Ivan Vyrypaev for a special masterclass on 8 August, presented in conjunction with the world premiere of his new play I-ONE, which will be staged at the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus.
What does it mean to create a theatrical character today, at a time when our very understanding of what it means to be human is undergoing profound change?
In his masterclass, “The Human Individual and the Technological Individual: Constructing Identity in Contemporary Drama”, Vyrypaev explores the theatrical figure through the lenses of identity, language, and consciousness. At the heart of the discussion lies the question of how a character is constructed on stage: how language can shape – or disrupt – identity, and how theatre can illuminate the inner conflicts and fragmented experience of contemporary existence.
One of the masterclass’s central questions concerns the very locus of the theatrical event. Where does theatre actually take place? On the stage? Within the character? Or in the mind of the spectator? From this perspective, Vyrypaev will reflect on theatre as a space in which the external action may ultimately matter less than the inner process it sets in motion within the audience.
The session will also examine the role of emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence in artistic creation. Can AI remain a tool, or is it gradually becoming a creative collaborator? By exploring both the possibilities and the limitations of AI within dramaturgical practice, the discussion will address the nature of authentic emotional experience and consider how these technological developments may ultimately reshape the future of playwriting and the identity of the contemporary artist.
Through a keynote presentation followed by an open discussion, the author of I-ONE will share his reflections on identity, language, consciousness, and artistic creation in the age of Artificial Intelligence. The event will conclude with a Q&A session with the audience.
The programme is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland through the Culture Promotion Fund.
More information about I-ONE can be found here
Information
Date: Saturday, 8 August 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Duration: 120 minutes
Venue: Ancient Epidaurus Primary School
Language: The masterclass will be conducted in Russian, with simultaneous interpretation into English.
Admission: Free. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Accessibility: Please note that the venue is not wheelchair accessible.
