Andreas Flourakis (b. 1969) is playwright and director. He has written more than twenty works for theater, which have been translated into many languages. They have been staged both in Greece and internationally at such theaters and venues as Royal Court Theatre (London), the National Theater of Spain (Madrid), Lincoln Center Theater (New York), Gate Theatre (London), Stegi, Onassis Cultural Centre (Athens), Tristan Bates Theatre (London), National Theater of Albania (Tirana), Beep (Athens), Maison d'Europe et d'Orient (Paris) and others. 

His plays have also been performed at a number of festivals such as, HotINK (New York), Helsinki Festival (Helsinki), Gi60 (New York), Oyun Yaz Festival (Istanbul), International Monodrama Festival (Pafos, Cyprus), Cultural Olympiad (Athens), and the Comparative Drama Conference (Los Angeles). Among his awards are third prize in the International Monodrama contest of the UNESCO International Theatre Institute (2006-2008), a Writer-in-Residence Award at the Royal Court International Residency (United Kingdom), and a Fulbright Artists Award (United States). In 2014 his play, Strong Knees, was selected as one of a trio of the award-winning biennial playwriting Eurodram contest. He has also served as Visiting Professor of Playwriting at the University of Kansas and many Greek institutes. 

Excerpt from the play Medea's Burqa

Medea:

Now I’m ready to regret every single moment.

Now I’m old.

Then I was young, a child.

By leaving my country, I didn’t just leave my family,

I left my friends,

my voice.

I left my youth behind.

Once and for all.

The moment I crossed the borders,

that exact moment, I became a refugee.

A refugee of ... love.

The reason is always minor – refugee, that’s all that counts.

I became unwanted in a world where foreigners should stay

                                                               in their foreign country

The sun set.

Another day goes by.

The sun travels to it’s homeland.

My homeland has cathedrals

and museums with exhibits from around the world.

My homeland has cathedral hills

                 and dessert treasures.

This same sun will turn around the world

to get over to my father’s house.

To keep it warm.

Translated by the author