The Bacchae
A god who doesn't fit in.
A woman barely holding on.
A king who refuses to dance.
What happens when they all let go?
THE BACCHAE premiered in 2023, and toured widely across Scotland over 2025-26, with over 40 performances. THE BACCHAE will now embark on an English tour in Spring 2027. Watch this space for full details coming soon.
An invocation. A celebration. A sacrifice.
An outcast god. A powerless king. A mother who kills her only son.
Glasgow's acclaimed Company of Wolves present an earth-shattering solo retelling of the myth of Dionysos: an epic of rejection, vengeance and rebirth told through story, dance and ancient song.
Written and performed by Ewan Downie, The Bacchae blurs the lines between binaries: human and animal, male and female, victim and perpetrator, and takes us on a transformative journey from repression and denial to renewal and release. A hymn of rebirth for our shattered selves.
The playtext for The Bacchae is on sale through Playwright's Studio Scotland, here.
The Bacchae premiered at The Barn in Aberdeenshire and The Byre Theatre in St Andrews in Autumn 2023, then did a full run at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2025, and a 13-venue Scotland-wide tour in Spring 2026. Stay tuned for details of the Spring 2027 English tour, coming soon.
Reviews
“ truly sensational
“ richly, writhingly poetic ... an impressively physical performance
“ A stripped back, lyrical retelling ... a thing of beauty
“ “the beauty of the lyricism ... an impressive piece of work”
“ Ewan Downie channels Dionysos with a raw, ritualistic intensity ... It’s fearless.
“ gripping
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Supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland