Antigone Exits
Minerva Theatre, Chichester
Until Saturday 17th October 2026
When Antigone exits the stage, the audience is left with much to ponder, just as Sophocles intended in the 5th century BCE, when the Greek tragedy was first staged. This modern version written by Nina Segal, is premiering until Saturday 17th October at the Minerva in Chichester. And despite its age, Segal ensures that the story still resonates today.
The Greek classics always have a complex plot, and often succeed other myths, which Greek audiences would immediately understand. Contemporary audiences may not know the back story, but Segal’s script provides all we need to set the context. The seven characters share scene-setting duties, sometimes throwing in just one word, sometimes several phrases, to continue the narrative seamlessly. They also flip between first and third person; these devices prove neither disjointed or confusing, underlining the actors’ skill and teamwork.
Although the actors work together, the characters they play do not! The central dilemma is whether Antigone should be punished for breaking the law, as decreed by her uncle, King Creon. She wants to bury her brother, whose body has been left outside the city gates as punishment; he is said to have betrayed the people of Thebes. But did he? That depends on your perspective. And even if he did, should he be denied a burial? That depends on your perspective. And if Antigone buries her brother, should she be punished by death? That depends on your perspective. Should King Creon make an allowance for his niece because she is family? Well, that depends…..
Greek tragedies are what it says on the box, and there is no happy ending here. The original story is interspersed with monologues, which serve to remind the audience that multifaceted tragedies are contemporary as well as ancient. This all sounds rather depressing, but Antigone Exits highlights that the human condition always has and always will face tragedy – it’s natural! One character survives all the catastrophe, so there is hope!
The actors are supported by minimalist scenery and props, whose meaning is intensified by their simplicity. A plain white half-sphere is a desert, the sun and a mountain; a ring of thick dark liquid (is it crude oil or black treacle?) symbolises a barrier and the death of Antigone’s brother – and that’s about it! Lighting is cleverly used to separate the monologues from the main story, as is a microphone. Apart from these, the story is told through the spoken word. It is unfortunate that one ‘F word’ is used rather gratuitously at times, but the rest of the script is more descriptive. Although relatively short at 75 minutes, there is no interval, so credit goes to the actors for maintaining the audience’s attention throughout.
Nina Segal’s bold and powerful adaptation of the ancient Greek tragedy should prove to be as classic as the original!
Reviewer: Alison Wood