Modern retelling of Sophocles’ classic to receive October premiere after being postponed due to the pandemic
Storyhouse’s anticipated new adaptation of Sophocles’ Antigone will receive its premiere on the main stage this autumn.
Award-winning poet Hollie McNish has created the modern retelling of the Greek masterpiece which will be staged from October 13-23.
Every public performance will be live streamed.
The production was due to form part of the Storyhouse Originals season of plays in spring 2020 until the Coronavirus pandemic struck and the country was plunged into a nationwide lockdown.
It is being co-produced with TripleC, a Manchester-based disabled-led organisation that supports access and representation for deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people across the arts and screen sectors.
The collaboration will ensure Antigone is accessible to creatives and actors as well as to the audience, including captioning at each performance.
And in addition to the performances, there will also be a comprehensive schools’ programme including pre and post-show workshops exploring the new text.
McNish, a former poet in residence at Storyhouse, has published five books of poetry including Nobody Told Me for which she won the Ted Hughes Award.
Her poem Mathematics about immigration has had more than two million views on YouTube, while she is currently preparing to continue her tour of her latest book Slug which she will bring to Storyhouse later in the year.
In 2016 the poet and spoken word artist co-wrote Offside: The Play with Sabrina Mahfouz which was inspired by the history of women’s football.
Antigone, which is her first solo play, is a deadly political drama which centres around the daughter of Oedipus.
Natasha Rickman will direct.
When Oedipus’s sons Eteocles and Polyneices kill each other in a bitter battle for the throne of Thebes, their uncle Creon declares himself king and decrees that while Eteocles be buried, Polyneices is a traitor and his body should be left outside the city walls to rot.
It is up to Antigone to brave her uncle’s wrath and honour her brother by giving him the burial he deserves – even if it means her own death in return.
Storyhouse artistic director Alex Clifton said: “It’s 18 months later than planned, but I’m really excited that we’re finally going to be able to present Hollie’s vibrant adaptation of this important work – a work which poses pertinent questions, about parenthood, gender, immigration and the role of the state in all our lives.
“This modern retelling will place the voices of young women and girls firmly to the fore, with girls from our youth theatre taking the role of the chorus.”
Tickets are on sale now
ENDS
For more information, contact:
Nancy Davies
Marketing and PR Manager
Storyhouse
07886 743531
LISTINGS
Antigone
October 13-23, 2021
Tickets from £18
Limited £7 for under 26s
About Storyhouse
Storyhouse is one of the UK’s foremost cultural centres incorporating a library, theatres and a cinema. It is one of the country’s most successful arts buildings, with more than one million customer visits each year.
The pioneering new library within Storyhouse, where members of the community work alongside city librarians, boasts the longest opening hours of any UK public library and is open every day until 11pm. It runs over 2,000 sessions a year for marginalised communities
The company also runs a highly successful theatre company and the country’s most successful regional open-air theatre, in the city’s Grosvenor Park and Moonlight Flicks open air cinema.
Storyhouse currently holds the official title as the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre and was the overall national winner in the 2018 Guardian Public Service Awards
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Schedule
Wednesday, October 13, 7:30 PM
Thursday, October 14, 7:30 PM
Friday, October 15, 12:00 PM schools performance
Friday, October 15, 7:30 PM (press night)
Saturday, October 16, 2:00 PM
Saturday, October 16, 7:30 PM
Sunday, October 17, 2:00 PM
Sunday, October 17, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, October 20, 12:00 PM schools
Wednesday, October 20, 7:30 PM
Thursday, October 21, 12:00 PM schools
Thursday, October 21, 7:30 PM
Friday, October 22, 7:30 PM
Saturday, October 23, 2:00 PM
Saturday, October 23, 7:30 PM
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