Anti-gone
Written by Sophocles; Adapted and Directed by Sivan Raz
Under St. Marks Theater | 94 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009
April 5th, 9th, 16th and 19th
Photo Credit by Terrell Lopez.
Theatre festivals are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.
The FRIGID Festival reflects approximately 65 shows will run in rep at 5 different venues. Shows will run a bit under an hour. There will be one-acts and bits of longer works in progress; dramas, comedies and musicals.
Descending into the black box space I affectionately call the dungeon, one quickly realizes this isn’t just another night at the theater—it’s a ritual. But make no mistake: we’re not in the dungeon tonight. We’re in a temple.
Cloths drape the space like offerings. A cello hums with anticipation. A solitary garbage bag dares you to wonder: what happened here? The audience is already engaged, already complicit—touching the body. What will become of them? It’s fun, it’s welcoming—and it feels like a murder mystery met a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book and had a Greek tragedy for a baby.
Sophocles’ Antigone is the epitome of Greek tragedy. Picture it: Thebes. Circa 441 B.C.E. Polynices and Eteocles, sons of the infamous Oedipus, kill each other in a war over Thebes, which is now under the rule of their uncle, Creon. Since Eteocles died defending the city, he receives a hero’s burial. Polynices, on the other hand? No rites, no ceremony. Nothing. Their sister Antigone is aghast. She rebels against Creon’s decree and buries her brother anyway. Her sister Ismene refuses to break the law and doesn’t support her. Creon, enraged, sentences Antigone to be sealed in a tomb. Tiresias, the blind prophet, warns Creon: this is a big mistake. Huge.
Spoiler alert: at the end, everyone dies—except Creon.
Need More Work's "Anti-Gone" reimagines Antigone with a bold, ensemble-driven take: six actresses, four rotating through various roles, with one dedicated to Creon and another to Antigone. The result breathes fresh life into the ancient text with choreography, chorus, song, and humor.
The detours—those brilliant narrative pit stops—are playful and unpredictable, but never lose the thread. You feel like a participant, not a passive spectator. And the interactivity isn’t just a gimmick—it deepens the audience’s connection to the stakes.
Sivan Ran adapted and directed the piece, while also taking on the role of Antigone—a tall order, but she juggled all parts with confidence and clarity. Penelope Rose Deen (Ismene/Choreographer), Emily Ann Banks (Creon), Tiffany Muñoz (Haemon), Jennie Reich Litzky (Tiresias/Guard), and Belle Rue (Chorus Leader) bring passion and commitment to every moment, weaving text, movement, and Joni Griffith’s arrangement into something that feels alive.
It’s a tight, energetic production—under an hour—but brimming with educational potential. Compact, innovative, and accessible, this version of Antigone could easily find a home in schools or on tour. It’s rare to find a piece that both entertains and teaches, that honors the old while playing with the new—but this one does. And it does it well.
Click HERE for tickets.
Review by Malini Singh McDonald.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on April 9th, 2025. All rights reserved.