Alexis Stamatis

Alexis Stamatis (; 19 July 1960 – 20 July 2026) was a Greek novelist, playwright, and poet. Amongst other work, he published nineteen novels, six books of poetry, and a number of plays. As of 2017, he had his own column at the Greek newspaper VIMA. He taught creative writing at various institutions.

Life and career Son of Kostas Stamatis, an architect, and Betty Arvaniti, a film actress, Stamatis studied architecture at the National Technical University of Athens and took postgraduate degrees in architecture and cinematography in London.

Stamatis published nineteen novels. His second novel, Βar Flaubert (Kedros, 2000), a critically acclaimed bestseller in Greece, has been published in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Serbia, and Bulgaria. Bar Flaubert has been adapted as a screenplay by the author and the director Vassilis Douvlis. Stamatis also published six books of poetry. His second book, The Architecture of Interior Spaces, was awarded the Nikiforos Vrettakos Prize in 1994. Τwo collections of his poems have been translated in Great Britain. He wrote the libretti for two musical pieces performed in Megaron Mousikis and the Chora theatre. In 2004, he participated in the International Writing Program of the University of Iowa through a Greek Fulbright Artists & Art-Scholars Award.

In 2007, the US publishing house Etruscan Press won the 1st International Literary Award from the US National Endowment for the Arts to publish his novel American Fugue. Stamatis presented his book in the US in 2008. His tour included around 15 universities all over the country, including Harvard, Yale, New York University, San Francisco State University, and Brown. .

He wrote the following plays, among others: Last Martha, Monologue for the Cultural Olympiad; directed and performed by Dimitris Ikonomou (2003), Dakrygona (Tear Gas), 2010, and Kill Your Darlings, 2012, a three-act play, staged at the Theatre of Kefallinias Street and directed by Aris Troupakis, Melissia, National Theater of Greece 2012 (play reading), Midnight in a perfect world, Monologue (2013) directed by Aris Troupakis and staged at Theatro Technis Karolos Koun, Innerview, one-act play, staged at Southbank Centre, London (2013). for the event "Greece is the word!", Innerview, a three-act play, which was later staged at the Michael Cacoyiannis Foundation, 2014–15.

In 2009 he was a writer in residence in Shanghai, invited by the Shanghai Writers Association. He represented Greece in various Book Festivals and seminars all over the world. He was working for many major Greek newspapers and magazines. Ηe taught creative writing at the Hellenic American Academic Foundation (Athens College – Psychico College) and in various other institutions.

On 19 October 2013, he took part in the event "Greece is the Word" at the Southbank Centre London.

Stamatis was interviewed by Victoria Hislop and a short play of his, "Innerview", was staged with the actors Eva Simatou and Nikos Poursanidis. He was married to the actress Eva Simatou, and they had a son, Ermis who was born in 2019.

Stamatis died on 20 July 2026, at the age of 66 after a struggle with a rare blood disorder.

Novels 1998 – The Seventh Elephant. Kedros, 2nd edition, Kastaniotis, 2016 2000 – Bar Flaubert. Kedros, 16th edition, 2011, 32th edition, Kastaniotis, 2023 2002 – Like a Thief in the night. Kastaniotis, 4th edition, 2009 2003 – Theseus Street. Kastaniotis, 4th edition, 2004 2005 – Mother Ash . Kastaniotis, 5th edition, 2005 2006 – American Fugue. Kastaniotis, 4th edition, 2007 2008 – Villa Combray, Kastaniotis, 9th edition, 2014 2009 – Kill your darlings, Kastaniotis 4th edition, 2010 2011 – Sunday, Kastaniotis 2nd edition, 2011 2012 – Can you cry underwater?, Kastaniotis, 3rd edition, 2013 2013 – Chameleons. Kastaniotis, 2013, 2nd edition, 2014 2014 – Melissia. Kastaniotis, 2014, 2nd edition, 2015 2015 – The book of rain, Kastaniotis, 2015 2017 – Motel Morena, Kastaniotis, 2017 2018 – The man of the fifth act, Kastaniotis, 2018 2020 – Innocent Creatures, Kastaniotis, 2020 2021 – The White Room, Kastaniotis, 2021 2023 – I’ve been so many others, Kastaniotis, 2023 2025 – The boy and Angelos, Metaixmio, 2025

Novellas and short stories 2002 – Scorpio in the drawer (novella). Ellinika Grammata, editions 2005 – Zoi (novella). Minoas Editions 2007 – Stories for Lonely People (short stories), Topos editions 2010 – The errand boy – Kurtz Revisited (short story), Magic Box editions ("The Book of Evil") 2010 – Legendary Tales (short stories), Kastaniotis editions 2014 – Zoi (novella), Minoas Editions [re-issue, 2nd edition 2014] 2025 – For the Great Gabo (short stories), Minoas Editions + translation into Colombian

Novel translations 2000 – The Seventh Elephant. Arcadia Books, London, UK 2002 – Bar Flaubert. Crocceti Editions, Milano, Italy 2003 – Bar Flaubert. Alter Edit, Paris, France 2006 – Bar Flaubert. Rd Editores, Seville, Spain 2007 – Bar Flaubert. Livre de Poche, Hachette, Paris, France 2007 – Bar Flaubert. Arcadia Books, London, UK 2008 – American Fugue. Etruscan Press, USA 2008 – Fuga Americana. Crocceti Editions, Milano, Italy 2009 – Bar Flaubert. Archipelag editions, Belgrade, Serbia 2010 – Mother Ash. Nemesis Editions, Istanbul, Turkey 2011 – Bar Flaubert. Porto Editora, Lisboa, Portugal 2013 – Mother Ash, Kastaniotis edition [in English] 2015 – Bar Flaubert, Panorama, Sophia, Bulgaria

Poetry collections 1992 – The Corner of the World. Socolis Editions 1993 – Architecture of the Intimate Spaces. Kastaniotis Editions 1995 – A Simple Method of Three. Kastaniotis Editions 1999 – Dense Now. Ellinika Grammata editions 2002 – The closer I get the more the future gets away. Rodakio 2004 – We are never alone. Kastaniotis Editions.

Poetry translations 2001 – Collected Poetry of Alexis Stamatis. Dionysia Press, Edinburgh 2003 – Dense Now. Dionysia Press, Edinburgh 2014 – We are never alone. Dionysia Press, Edinburgh (under publication).

Children's books 2008 – Alkis and the Labyrinth. Kastaniotis Editions (IBBY award) 2022 – Talentina. Kastaniotis Editions

Theatrical plays 2008 – Last Martha, Ianos Editions. 2009 – Genesis. Two Monologues (The Errant Boy & Genesis), Socolis – Kouledakis Editions 2010 – Dakrygona (Tear Gas) 2012 – Kill your darlings, Socolis – Kouledakis editions 2013 – Midnight in a perfect world – Theatro Technos Karolos Koun editions 2014 – Melissia Editions théâtrales de la maison Antoine Vitez 2014 – Innerview Philotypon editions 2018– The White room Theatro Stathmos

Theatre, opera and film

Theatre 2002–2003 – Look at me. Opera Theatre Group, Chororoes Theatre; directed by Theo Abazis 2002 – Last Martha. Monologue for the Cultural Olympiad; directed and performed by Dimitris Ikonomou 2008 – Last Martha. Monologue; Theatre of Kefallinias Street, directed by Vicky Georgiadou and performed by Christos Stergioglou 2009 – Genesis. Two Monologues (The Errant Boy & Genesis), Chora Theatre, directed by Avra Sidiropoulou and performed by Christos Stergioglou and Rinio Kyriazis respectively 2010 – Dream a little dream of me, one-act play, directed by Ektoras Lygizos, performed by Dimitris Makalias, Michalis Oikonomou, Danai Papoutsi for the "24 Hour Plays Athens" (Chora Theater) 2010 – Dakrygona (Tear Gas), play, Theatre of Kefallinias Street directed by Aris Troupakis. 2011 – Thalamos, one-act play, Theatre "Synetgeion" directed by Giolanda Markopoulou, and performed by Maria Aiginitou, Despoina Kourti, Charis Charalambous (part of the play "Exodus") 2012 – Kill Your Darlings, play, Theatre of Kefallinias Street directed by Aris Troupakis 2012 – Melissia, National Theater of Greece directed by Eleni Boza (reading) 2013 – Midnight in a perfect world. Monologue, directed by Aris Troupakis and performed by Nikos Arvanitis at Theatro Technis Karolos Koun (Athens Art Theatre) 2013 – Innerview One-act play. Staged at the Southbank Centre, London, for the event "Greece is the word!" Performed by Nikos Poursanidis and Eva Simatou, directed by the writer and the actors 2014 – Innerview Three-act play. Staged at the Michael Cacoyiannis Foundation, directed by Lilly Meleme performed by Nikos Arvanitis, Eva Simatou, produced by Lycophos productions and Giorgos Lykiardopoulos 2018 – Kosmos Gonia Staged at the Second Stage of Kefallinias Street Theatre, directed by Aris Troupakis performed by Nikos Arvanitis, Nikos Alexiou 2019 – Melissia Five-act play. Staged at the National Theatre of Greece, directed by George Paloumbis, performed by Betty Arvaniti, Nikos Arvanitis, Nikos Hatzopoulos, Mari Kechagiogou, Nefeli Kouri, Kostas Vasardanis 2019 – Blue Room Play reading at the Theatro Technis, directed by Manos Karatzogiannis, performed by Anna Fonsou, Lena Papaligoura, Eva Simatou, Nickos Vatikiotis 2021 – White Room Staged at the Stathmos Theatre, directed by Manos Karatzogiannis, performed by Smaragda Smyrnaiou, Peggy Stathacopoulou, Eva Simatou, Dimitris Tsiklis

Opera 2000 – Socrates. Megaro Mousikis, music by Theo Abazis, directed by Victor Ardittes 2000 – A walk in Hades. Orchestra of Colours, Chora Theatre, music by Theo Abazis.

Film 2002 – Bar Flaubert. With the film director Vassilis Douvlis Stamatis co-wrote a screenplay based on his novel Bar Flaubert sponsored by the program "GRAFI" of the Greek National Film Center 2007–09 – Storm. Original screenplay for a Haris Patramanis film 2014 – Light director-screenwriter Vassilis Douvlis. Script editor.

Ipad applications 2012 Conceived and wrote the text for the iPad application "itravel Us" developed by Top Creations and Propaganda

Awards 1994 – 1st award of the City of Athens in memory of the Greek poet Nikiforos Vrettakos for his second book of poetry: "Architecture of the Intimate Spaces" Athens, 16 March 1994. 2004 – Greek Fulbright Artists & Art-Scholars Award 2007 – Etruscan Press won the 1st International Literary Award by the US National Endowment of Arts for Alexis Stamatis' novel American Fugue 2009 – First Award of The Circle of the Greek Children's Book- IBBY Greece, for his children's book Alkis and the Labyrinth