“The Burial At Thebes,” an adaptation of Sophocles’ “Antigone” by Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, tells the dramatic story of the children of Oedipus, cursed by the gods for their father’s mistake. The acts of passion and retribution are retold this time in the spare, modern language that is the hallmark of Heaney’s writing.
The setting for “The Burial at Thebes” was as sharp and bare as Heaney’s language, with only metal scaffolding and chain-link fence. Director Ed. Simone, Ph.D., professor of theater, and designer Rebecca Misenheimer, assistant professor of theater, wanted to convey an environment of unrest, a society emerging from a long struggle.
“The forces of tradition and religion tangle with the passions of individuals in the ‘Antigone’ story,” says Simone. “We want to make very clear the present day resonances. This is a tale that’s been affecting audiences for 2,500 years.”
Live music was part of the action on stage as St. Bonaventure music faculty and student musicians provided original musical scoring for “The Burial at Thebes.”