Free Antigone!
1 hour 15 minutes, 2M, 3F, 5 flexible. Continuous action with minimal settings.
Sophocles' classic tragedy updated into the age of Greta Thunberg, the Parkland students, and Fox and Friends.
Characters:
CHORUS 1
CHORUS 2
CHORUS 3
ANTIGONE
ISMENE
HAEMON
ETEOCLES
POLYNICES
CREON
EURIDICE
EXECUTIONERS
SAMPLE SCENE
(LIGHTS UP on the CHORUS.)
CHORUS 2 Well, what can we say.
CHORUS 1 Absolutely appalling.
CHORUS 3 The temerity. The disrespect. Did you hear what she called him?
CHORUS 2 And he’s like butter. Softening. Melting.
CHORUS 1 Just giving in to these…kids.
CHORUS 3 Let’s call them what they are. A bunch of little snot-nosed punks.
CHORUS 2 Spoiled brats.
CHORUS 1 Is King Creon wimping out?
CHORUS 3 Selling us out to the enemy?
CHORUS 2 Because some children told him to?
CHORUS 1 Is he even a king?
CHORUS 2 Being so weak as to listen to a –
CHORUS 3 Bunch of snot-nosed punks.
CHORUS 1 A king needs to be strong.
(CREON stands.)
CHORUS 2 Show his teeth.
CHORUS 3 Demand respect.
CHORUS 1 Never waver.
CHORUS 3 Never weaken.
CHORUS 2 Never go back on his word.
CREON I only said I’d think about it!
CHORUS 3 Next up: Antigone – lesbian, terrorist or both?
CHORUS 1 When The Chorus continues.
(LIGHTS OUT on the CHORUS.)
CREON Now what do I do? Please the TV audience and alienate our son?
EURIDICE You’re his father. You’re the authority figure here.
CREON But what if he’s right?
EURIDICE Maybe that girl’s been a bad influence on him. Why don’t you be a good one?
(After a moment CREON nods his head.
CREON and EURIDICE exit.
Lights shift. Night.
ANTIGONE storms on, carrying a shovel.
She’s followed by HAEMON and ISMENE.)
ISMENE Tiggy, listen.
HAEMON I know how you feel about this.
ISMENE We feel the same way, but…
HAEMON It’s one thing to protest. It’s another thing to –
ANTIGONE Act?
ISMENE Uncle says no.
HAEMON My dad – the king –
ISMENE It’s a capital offense.
HAEMON You’ve made your point.
ISMENE We. Together.
HAEMON So it didn’t work. He wasn’t convinced.
ISMENE You tried. You did your best.
HAEMON You can rest easy.
ISMENE With a clear conscience.
HAEMON That should be enough.
(Pause.)
ANTIGONE Are you finished?
(HAEMON and ISMENE are speechless.)
Thanks for the advice.
(She starts to go.)
ISMENE Tiggy –
HAEMON Antigone -
ANTIGONE Look, if you’re not going to help me, just leave me alone! I don’t need either of you.
ISMENE What if you get caught?
ANTIGONE I want to get caught.
ISMENE And if Uncle is serious?
ANTIGONE I don’t care if he’s serious or not. I’m serious.
(She starts to go. HAEMON cuts her off and takes the shovel from her.)
HAEMON Let me do it.
ANTIGONE You don’t want to.
HAEMON Yes I do. I want what you want.
ANTIGONE You don’t even know what I want.
ISMENE Antigone, let him.
HAEMON My father wouldn’t dare have me executed.
ANTIGONE Then you’re not risking your life.
ISMENE See? It’s perfect.
(Pause.)
ANTIGONE How do I know you’ll go through with it?
HAEMON You don’t even trust me.
(He turns away.)
ISMENE Now look. You’ve hurt his feelings. Sometimes, Tiggy, I swear…
ANTIGONE Haemon… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.
HAEMON Obviously that’s how you feel.
ANTIGONE I know you would do it. You’re brave. You’ve been in war, which is worse. Really, I’m such a bitch sometimes. I don’t know why you put up with me.
(They hug.)
ISMENE I’ll leave you two alone.
(ANTIGONE grabs the shovel back from HAEMON.)
HAEMON Wait –
ANTIGONE You were going to do it for the wrong reason. If your father’s going to spare you, what’s the point? Unless you’re ready to die –
HAEMON Are you?
ANTIGONE Fuckin’ A.
(She starts off again.)
ISMENE I’m coming with you.
HAEMON I am too.
ANTIGONE No you’re not.
(She fends them off with the shovel.
HAEMON takes a step toward her.
She raises the shovel as if to hit him.)
I will. I swear.
(She takes a swing. He dodges it.
He sits on the ground and weeps quietly.
ISMENE approaches but ANTIGONE
scares her off with the shovel.)
ISMENE Tiggy, you’re out of your mind.
ANTIGONE I’ve never been saner in my life.
(She exits with the shovel.
ISMENE comforts HAEMON.)
ISMENE I know my sister isn’t very easy to love.
HAEMON The harder she tries to make it, the more I do.