Antigone's brother lies where he fell in rebellion against the authorities. Her uncle, King Creon, outlaws his burial. Antigone's appalling dilemma iswhether to obey Creon and offend against the gods, or to follow her heart and plunge her accursed family into a fresh cycle of violence.

The startling modernity of the story is all the more evident in Heaney's poeticand accessible translation. His spare, muscular verse also has a remarkablyepic and lyrical quality, giving the production a combination of innate grace and raw emotional power.Lucy Pitman-Wallace's outstanding production returns for 15 performances only before transferring to London's Barbican (18 - 29 September) and Oxford Playhouse (9 - 13 October).