York Theatre Royal is set to revive Margaret Atwood’s stage adaptation of The Penelopiad in October 2026, marking its first major UK revival since the original 2007 production. The retelling offers a fresh perspective on The Odyssey, highlighting issues of injustice and loyalty.

York Theatre Royal will stage a new production of The Penelopiad, adapted from Margaret Atwood’s novella and originally premiered in 2007 at Stratford-upon-Avon. Running from 10 to 24 October 2026, the revival will be directed by Juliet Forster, with a press performance scheduled for 14 October.

The Penelopiad revisits the classic Greek myth of The Odyssey through the eyes of Penelope, who narrates from the underworld as she waits for Odysseus’s return from the Trojan War. The story unfolds alongside a chorus of maids, scrutinising themes of injustice and loyalty from a female perspective.

Atwood’s stage adaptation was her first theatrical work and premiered as a co-production between the Royal Shakespeare Company and Canada’s National Arts Centre. The original novella was published in 2005 and has since been acclaimed for its inventive retelling.

Margaret Atwood is best known for her novels The Handmaid’s Tale, Alias Grace, and The Testaments. The Penelopiad complements her oeuvre by providing a mythic yet modern consideration of voice and narrative authority.

Priority booking for the York Theatre Royal production will open to members on 23 February at 1pm, with general booking commencing on 28 February at 1pm.

This revival aligns with a growing interest in revisiting classical myth through contemporary, often feminist, perspectives, contributing to ongoing cultural conversations about storytelling and historical representation.