More than four decades after his death, Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis continues to capture the imagination of his compatriots.

The long queues outside the Pallas Theatre in central Athens, where a new play, Onassis — I Want It All, had its premiere in October, are testament to that.

“Only rarely do I see audiences paying such close attention and engaging as intensely with what they see on stage,” says Stamatis Fasoulis, the director and lead actor in the role of the legendary tycoon.