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New Antigone: State vs. Woman's Body
12 Mar
Summary
- Play reframes Antigone's struggle to unborn body control.
- Abortion access is central to Ziegler's provocative adaptation.
- Female characters unite, excluding men in the finale.
Anna Ziegler's contemporary adaptation of "Antigone" at the Public Theater foregrounds the profound struggle over bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. This production pivots from Sophocles' focus on a deceased brother to the contentious issue of an unborn body and the state's authority over women's choices. The play draws a parallel between divine law and the sanctity of the human body, contrasting it with the dictates of political structures.
Director Tyne Rafael's staging immediately challenges perceptions, presenting Susannah Perkins as a fierce Antigone and Tony Shalhoub as a relatable, albeit weak, ruler. The narrative introduces a pregnancy, leading Antigone to seek an illegal abortion, with a chillingly effective portrayal by Katie Kreisler. The play's conclusion sees Celia Keenan-Bolger, as the narrator/Author figure, and Perkins in a defiant embrace, symbolizing a unified female strength that renders men peripheral.
