Antigone

"a city which belongs to just one man is no true city"

The conflict between the state and the individual is both ancient and timeless. First performed two-and-a-half thousand years ago, Antigone has been re-written, re-published, re-translated, and re-staged countless times. It has travelled from the amphitheatre to the opera house, from the stage to the screen; it has appeased fascists in Nazi-occupied France, and challenged the establishment in 21st-century Britain. Now, it falls to us to bear witness to Antigone’s story.

Translated eloquently by Don Taylor, Sophocles’ tragedy presents its audience with the clash of two compelling figures: Creon, the charismatic tyrant of Thebes, prizes the survival of the city above all; Antigone, his rebellious niece, champions the sanctity of personal conviction. As the conflict plays out, tragedy ensues, and the twin loyalties – to the family (oikos) and to the state (polis) – are brought to bear with devastating consequences.