“The Oath of Europe” by Wajdi Mouawad

With eyes on the upcoming world premiere at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, the creative team of “The Oath of Europe”, written and directed by Wajdi Mouawad, met online with members of the Greek press during a media event hosted at the French Institute of Greece.

The discussion marked the highly anticipated presentation of this international co-production between the Athens Epidaurus Festival and Théâtre National de La Colline, supported by a generous grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).

Commissioned by the Festival and part of the Contemporary Ancients program, The Oath of Europe premieres globally on August 1 and 2, on the stage of one of the world’s most iconic theatres.

A Gift Under the Sky of Epidaurus

Reflecting on the genesis of the work, Lebanese-Canadian author and director Wajdi Mouawad shared his emotional connection to the invitation: “When I received the proposal from Katerina Evangelatos, Artistic Director of the Festival, my mind was flooded with images -summer, the Greek sky, friends. The idea of making theatre in such a historic space, surrounded by people I love, felt like a pure gift -an offer I could not refuse.”

He emphasized the profound symbolism of creating in Epidaurus, especially as the production coincides with the completion of his tenure at La Colline. “To be here, under this sky, where senses, symbols and emotions converge, is an overwhelming and unique opportunity.” Speaking on the theme of the production, Mouawad reflected on exile, friendship, and shared vulnerability: “All the actors in this work are dear friends—people who speak different languages and come from varied cultures. Had I not been forced into exile from my homeland, I would never have met them. Yet through that loss emerged something deeply human: a mosaic of friendship, a new chosen family formed by those who know what it means to lose the ground beneath their feet and try to root again.”

A Crime, a Silence, a Legacy

The story begins with an eight-year-old girl who unwittingly witnesses a massacre committed by her own people. Eight decades later, an investigation reopens old wounds and compels her to speak.
The Oath of Europe delves into the legacy of violence, the burden of silence, and the ways trauma is inherited across generations. Rather than recounting a linear narrative, the play takes the form of a mosaic of fragmented images, voices, and silences—an experience shared rather than explained.

“Whether we see it as myth or distorted memory, the abduction of Europa marks the first great act of violence,” Mouawad noted. “A woman is seized and carried away, and upon that act a civilization is founded. That thread of violence continues across history, often etched onto women’s bodies. What is passed down is not always the story—but the trauma, the silence, the unspoken. This is what I tried to touch and express—not through exposition, but through sensation.”

In the Words of the Cast

Juliette Binoche described Mouawad’s vision as “very close to Sophocles,” and emphasized the organic nature of the process: “The play is still being written, and we actors are part of that flow—like weaving a story that is alive and constantly changing. Performing in Epidaurus is overwhelming—a space filled with myth, light, and memory. It’s not just a theatrical journey, but a deeply personal one.”

Emmanuel Schwartz, who portrays a man haunted by a violent act, said: “This role pushes me to my limits. I’m still discovering his motivations—why he committed such a horrific deed. It’s slow, painful work, but necessary.” Violette Chauveau plays a demanding courtroom role and calls her presence in Epidaurus “like connecting with the Greek gods.” Daria Pisareva, a Russian-Ukrainian actress, portrays a diplomat seeking the truth in a world of layered lies: “Her strength, vulnerability, even her high heels—everything tells a story.” Danae Eleftheriadou, the only Greek actor in the cast, embodies Megara—a woman shaped by an invisible, persistent trauma. “Being part of this project is a profound gift,” she noted.
Finally, Leora Rivlin plays a mother facing the darkest part of herself: “This character came to life during rehearsals. She’s a witness to a massacre not just buried in the past, but still echoing through the present.”

Creator’s Note | Wajdi Mouawad

The journey of return is always a journey – never truly a return. It is mourning, an interior morgue we enter to identify the corpse of something we still believed was alive. This is true for those who think they will one day find their mother again, and for the mother who believes she will one day find her daughters.

It is an ancient story, endlessly repeated across time: A girl plays by the shore when a white bull suddenly appears. Enchanted by its beauty and strength, she climbs onto its back, unaware. The bull turns back to the sea and carries her away -forever- far from her homeland.

Centuries, millennia later, in the very flesh of the children, and the children of those children, the songs, laments, and dances of ancient wounds still echo -wounds never spoken of, never told. From calamity to calamity, from violence to violence, the sources of suffering vanish down the well of time.

And so, when words fail, when breath tightens, when memories begin to stammer their way back, you must -with patience -enter the labyrinth of memory. You must follow the invisible thread of love, as painful as it may be, in order to reach the original wound that still bleeds and attempt to heal it.

To invent a character through whom you may touch the horror of your own past sorrows.