National Endowment of the Arts, International Literature Award for American Fugue
First Award of The Circle of the Greek Children's Book- IBBY Greece, for his children's book Alkis and the Labyrinth
Alexis Stamatis (Greek: Αλέξης Σταμάτης; 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.
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.
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.[citation needed]
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
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
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
