The story of the Peloponnesian war between Athens and Sparta has been adapted from the writing of Thucydides and Plato by RSC Advisory Director John Barton. The tale of the unstoppable escalation of war is particularly relevant in the light of today’s global politics.

The production is performed by a group of RSC actors picked from the Comedies and Gunpowder seasons, along with Clive Francis, Tim West and Malcolm Storry.

The performance is followed by a debate chaired by Jon Snow, and with a panel including Germaine Greer and Paul Cartledge.