Top Greek theatre scraps play that quoted terrorist’s book

ATHENS, Greece – Greece’s prestigious National Theater has cancelled the final performances of a play that included elements from a book by a convicted far-left terrorist, following complaints and threats.

The state-funded theatre says that it doesn’t want to convey the impression that it backs “criminals forever condemned in the conscience of the Greek people.”

The play, called “Nash’s Balance,” incorporated texts by French Nobel Prize-winning writer Albert Camus and excerpts from a book by imprisoned November 17 group hitman Savvas Xiros.

The theatre said Thursday the play’s core message was that there can be no ideological justification for homicide.

It said the performance was “harshly and purely dogmatically” criticized by people most of whom had not been to see it, adding that it had received threats of violence to actors and theatre-goers.