Christos Callow Jr

Christos (he/him) is a Greek British playwright & senior lecturer in creative writing at the University of Derby. He’s also the artistic director of Cyborphic, a London-based theatre company which stages Greek theatre (ancient & contemporary) & science fiction theatre; he founded the Talos science fiction theatre festival in 2015 & has also written and directed one-person plays, theatre workshops and staged readings.

Previously led the North London Literary Festival at the University of Middlesex and was one of the organisers of the Writer’s Conference 2023 at Derby, as well as organiser of several conferences on science fiction & on Greek theatre. On Cyborphic’s website he has created a database of 21st century sci-fi plays. Has also taught acting & theatre studies, as well as creative writing & literature at several UK universities, tutoring and supervising new writers, actors and other creatives.

Keen to collaborate with directors & producers on staging one-person plays, sci-fi dramas & new adaptations of ancient Greek theatre & also interested in the work of diasporic artists & artists who explore posthuman, utopian/dystopian ideas in theatre & performing arts.

Credits

- Writer / director: “Posthuman Meditation”, Talos science fiction theatre festival, co-production with the Cockpit Theatre, 8 November 2020. Zoom performance / science fiction audio drama. Other productions: Being Human Festival, 19 November 2021.

- Writer / director: “Mayuri”, Talos science fiction theatre festival / Omnibus Theatre, 2 December 2019. Science fiction one-woman show. Other productions: Kensington + Chelsea Festival and Edinburgh Fringe, 11 & 20 August 2021.

- Writer / producer: “Melanippe Wise”, Hope Theatre, 9 November 2019. Reconstruction based on Euripides’ lost play Melanippe Wise, co-written with Dr. Andriana Domouzi, staged reading funded by ICA (Institute of Classical Studies) and the University of Derby

- Writer: “Last Tragedy”, Talos science fiction theatre festival / Bread & Roses Theatre, 22 March 2018. Other productions: Cast Iron Theatre (Brighton, November 2018) and Otherworld Theatre (Chicago, November 2018)

- Workshop facilitator/organiser: Science Fiction Theatre Research Lab workshops, London Theatre Workshop, 21-24 May 2018

- Artistic director: London-based theatre company “Cyborphic” since 2019

- Workshop facilitator: Writers Lab of Homeland (part of Nour Festival), Drayton Arms Theatre, 6 November 2016. Organised by Vertebra Theatre company

- Lead Literary Festival Organiser: “North London Literary Festival” 2016 and 2017 (Middlesex University, 22 March 2016 and 16 March 2017)

- Theatre director: “The Other Roof” by Susan Gray, Talos science fiction theatre festival / Chelsea Theatre, 24-25 October 2015

- Founder/organiser: “Talos: The Science Fiction Theatre Festival of London”, Chelsea Theatre, London, 24-25 October 2015 / Bread & Roses Theatre, London, 22-25 March 2018 / Omnibus Theatre, 2-9 December 2019 / Cockpit Theatre, 2-8 November 2020

- Writer/performer: “Voice”, Bread & Roses Theatre, three nights, 21-23 May 2015. Fantasy play based on Greek mythology.

- Conference Organiser: “Performing Greece: International Conference series on Contemporary Greek Theatre”. (Birkbeck, University of London, 9 May 2015. Also at Birkbeck, 3 December 2016 and 9 December 2017)

- Theatre director: “Sum” by Susan Gray, Bread & Roses Theatre in London, November-December 2014. Science fiction play, produced by theatre company Stars or Mars.

- Conference Organiser: “Stage the Future: International Conference series on Science Fiction Theatre” (Royal Holloway, University of London, 22 March 2014. Other conferences: Arizona State University, 6-7 March 2015 and Omnibus Theatre, London, 6-7 December 2019)

- Writer / performer: “Bunnies”, Bar Theatre “Glam Bar” in Technopolis of Gazi, Athens, two nights, May 2009

Training

- PhD in Creative Writing, Birkbeck, University of London, 2012-2014
Dissertation: “Etherotopia, an Ideal State and a State of Mind:
Utopian Philosophy as Literature and Practice”

- MA in Playwriting, University of Central Lancashire, 2010-2011
Dissertation: “Medea, or How to Prevent a Tragedy:
An Absurdist Adaptation of Euripides’ Medea”

- BA in Acting, Drama School “Athenian Stage” (Athens, Greece) 2007-2010

- Short course. Teaching the Arts in Higher Education. Eight week course
School of Arts, Birkbeck, University of London, Spring Term, 2014.