Apologiae 4 & 5: A Play by Efthimis Filippou

Two former lovers meet again in an unknown place. They want to sing, but first they must prove themselves worthy. Guided by an examiner, they move through a surreal series of trials: part fever dream, part karaoke party, part therapy session, part fight for survival. A darkly comic ritual of self-definition, the play asks: how far will you go to be accepted?

'Apologiae 4&5' is a work of the acclaimed scriptwriter and playwright Efthimis Filippou, best known for his award-winning and iconic films 'Dogtooth', 'The Lobster', 'The Killing of the Sacred Deer', and 'Kinds of Kindness', which he co-wrote with director Yorgos Lanthimos. Irreverent and provocative, his work is perhaps the most representative, if not authoritative, of the so-called Greek weird wave in contemporary cinema. His works continue to shock and enthrall critics and audiences alike with their absurd and tragicomic themes of human futility and the alienating effect of their austere, dispassionate, and darkly comic aesthetic. His films have been awarded and nominated for numerous prizes including the Golden Osella at the Venice Film Festival, the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, BAFTA, and the Oscars, among others. He has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture arts and Sciences since 2016.

The play will be performed by current and former students of the Yale School of Drama and directed by Andreas Andreou ’26. Free and open to the public, registration required (tinyurl.com/apologiae45) Waitlist is available at https://tinyurl.com/ApologiaeWaitlist. Please use the Sachem Street entrance of Pauli Murray College to enter.

The activities of the Hellenic Studies Program are generously funded by the Stavros Niarchos Center for Hellenic Studies at Yale University.