The Greek gods will be alive and well as an international touring company brings its talent to Burton for a classic story.
Actors of Dionysus, a national and international touring theatre company, who are inspired by Greek myth will debut its show Antigone, which is touring nationally this autumn, and coming to The Brewhouse Arts Centre on Tuesday, November 7, at 7.30pm.
With a running time of 75 minutes and suitable for audiences aged 12 and above, Actors of Dionysus (AOD) take Sophocles' ancient Greek classic Antigone and place it into a world where fate is written in code and drones flock across the skies.
It is directed by AOD's artistic director Tamsin Shasha and written by British-American playwright Christopher Adams.
This new adaptation begins in the aftermath of a violent battle for the control of Thebes. Antigone's two brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, have both died.
The new ruler Creon declares that Eteocles will be honoured, while the rebel Polyneices will not be buried but left in limbo to relive his death over and over again for all eternity. Antigone’s grief turns to defiance. She dares to take a stand for what she believes in and comes up against Creon’s authority.
Actors of Dionysus specialise in new adaptations inspired by ancient Greek drama and Greek myths. They have been producing and touring plays both in the UK and internationally for more than 24 years. In this production, AOD has created a dystopian Antigone inspired by Sophocles' original play.
On adapting this Greek classic, the director, Tamsin Shasha said: "At the heart of this production is AOD's desire to challenge audience perceptions and transform ancient themes into relevant, urgent and powerful theatre. We want this intrinsic part of our dramatic heritage to remain accessible to modern audiences."
The company was awarded Arts Council funding for the research and development phase of Antigone and during early exploration workshops they were inspired by Sci-Fi films like Tom Cruise's Minority Report and by Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror television series. This led the company to create a new ground-breaking adaptation which makes use of some unusual technology.
The associate director, Deirdre Daly said: "We will use real drones in this production - all seeing drones which hover around the stage, spying on every move the characters make, and sending reports back to the authorities."
The play features movement choreography by Ally Cologna and the music is composed by Matt Eaton. The production is designed by Helen Coyston. Alongside the tour will be an extensive programme of workshops for schools and colleges.
AOD's education officer, Mark Katz said: "We have a passionate commitment to our young people and students. We offer practical workshops for A-Level theatre studies, GCSE drama and classics students to support their learning and help them deepen their understanding of this text."
Upcoming arena tours
AOD has also created a unique Antigone education pack for teachers, exploring the characters and themes and their relevance in today's society.
Actors of Dionysus have received much acclaim for their previous productions which include She Denied Nothing, Helen, Lysistrata, Bacchae and Medea. They have toured internationally and at theatres and national parks across the UK. They have also performed on BBC Radio and have collaborated with Channel 4 and the BFI.
The production is coming to the The Brewhouse Arts Centre at 7.30pm on Tuesday, November 7. Tickets cost £12 (£10 concessions and £5 students) and are available by calling the box office on 01283 508100.
