Out of the whole sorry tragedy of the house of Oedipus, it is Antigone, the final part of Sophocles’ Theban Trilogy, that remains the most relevant today. A treatise on the rights of the individual as opposed to the rights of government; of familial over political duty; of young versus old; and of natural law over national law, it resonates with issues of civil disobedience that we see all around us, from climate activism to the wearing of pussy hats. It’s therefore unusual, and perhaps refreshing, to see an adaptation of the play that focuses on the timeless aspects of the drama, tapping into its philosophical and spiritual side while eschewing any overt contemporary politicking.

Micari as Antigone at Park Avenue Armory. All photos © Stephanie Berger

Shizuoka Performing Arts Centre is a modest-sized theatre company hailing from a city of the same name that nestles at the foot of Mount Fuji. Its General Artistic Director Satoshi Miyagi is one of Japan’s most respected and senior theatrical creatives who has adapted many Western classics for the Japanese stage, weaving elements of Noh theatre and...