Antigone Exits Chichester review: personal anecdotes drive experimental reboot
Nina Segal's experimental reboot of Sophocles' Antigone at Chichester's Minerva theatre uses a visceral tar circle and raw personal anecdotes from the cast.
Antigone Exits Chichester review Nina Segal personal stories tar circle eggshell set. The production is a seventy-minute reboot of Sophocles' tragedy, running at the Minerva theatre until 17 October. It transforms the ancient story into a visceral exploration of emotional boundaries using a stark, symbolic set and jarringly personal confessions from its seven-strong cast.
A giant, hollowed-out white eggshell structure dominates the stage, designed by Alex Lownde. The cast emerges from it one by one, as if born into the play. Later, it becomes the cave through which Antigone vanishes. The action unfolds on a bright yellow floor where a black, tar-like substance is dribbled to form a runny circle. This oily line becomes a dividing boundary for Thebes, separating the welcome from the unwelcome. It is smeared, poured, and eventually crossed, staining the characters in its path as a physical reminder of the mess that lingers after death.
The performers, dressed in everyday clothes, shift between being principal characters and a Greek chorus. They deliver largely verse-based text over a low bass-driven soundtrack, using a centre-stage microphone to link ancient themes to modern reflections. The production is directed by Jeff James, with Nina Cassells as Antigone and Max Bennett as King Creon.
Cast blurs character and confession
Actors repeatedly break from their Greek roles to relay deeply personal anecdotes. One tells of watching a fox decompose. Another speaks of a husband dying. A third recounts his teenage daughter’s suicide. These stories are moving, though their links to Antigone’s own plight can feel tenuous. Watching cast members mine seemingly personal memories to connect to centuries-old characters is akin to witnessing a workshop in method acting. The play also makes a contemporary reference to the death and decomposition of children after the bombing of a Gazan hospital.
The production places a clear emphasis on emotions over actions. Having each key player describe their anger, fear, or sadness, rather than showing it, creates a distancing effect. This stylistic choice prevents the production from striking the emotional chords its ambitious themes aim for.
Playwright Nina Segal stated she was keen to explore the far-reaching consequences of our actions and their trickle-down effects. The final image leaves the audience with the physical and emotional stains of the story. Antigone Exits runs at the Minerva theatre, Chichester, until 17 October.
