With lyrical choral storytelling and a moving exploration of family dynamics, Antigone is a powerful reimagining of Sophocles’ classical Greek tragedy adapted by Kate Besworth. Audiences are calling it “a standout” and “magical.”

Though she’s no stranger to the Bard stages—this Season marks her eighth with the Festival—this summer is still a special one for Antigone playwright Kate Besworth. After first conceiving of the idea with director Ming Hudson in the wings of 2019’s Shakespeare in Love and The Taming of the Shrew, Kate is not only bringing Antigone to the Douglas Campbell Theatre this Season, but she’s also stepping into the shoes of Antigone’s sister, Ismene.

We chat with Kate about how a childhood spent in Stratford led to her falling in love with theatre, what it’s been like to see her story come to life in the Douglas Campbell Theatre, and some of the writers who have inspired her work.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you first discovered theatre?
I was born into a theatre family; my Mom and Dad both came up as actors and ended up working at the Stratford Festival, so I was raised in that town. For many young people, taking the path of theatre is a move of bravery, but for me, it felt like entering the family trade; in some ways it was the path of least resistance. That being said, so much of what I love about theatre now I had the opportunity to be exposed to early in life: beautifully staged productions, talented and passionate artists, exciting backstage areas, and giddy dressing rooms… perhaps it was easy to go into theatre not because it was the family trade but simply because it was always so alluring!

Bard audiences will recognize you from your many turns on our stages, but you’re also a very prolific writer! Antigone will now be your second time as a writer for a Bard production, after the film Done/Undone in 2021. What drew you to writing and did you always know that you wanted to do both?
I read and wrote a ton at a very young age, even before I was interested in acting. There’s this theory of vocation that points to our childhood passions as north stars for our adult fulfillment; I loved writing as a kid and I am so grateful I found my way back to it! Once I wrote Antigone in 2019, which was my first writing project in almost a decade, I knew that I would need to include writing as a huge part of my life moving forward. It’s an incredibly fulfilling and joyful process for me.

Kate Besworth as Ismene | Photo by Emily Cooper

You’ve been working with director Ming Hudson on this version of Antigone for years, and it’s a production that she describes in her Director’s Notes as being created with the Douglas Campbell Theatre in mind, and with Bard patrons as your audience. What first sparked this adaptation and collaboration, and what was it about Bard and the Douglas Campbell Theatre that was so intrinsic to this story you wanted to tell?
Ming and I were acting together in the 2019 company, and we both felt a need to produce the kind of work we ourselves wanted to see. We decided that she would direct and I would write, and from there we decided on the story of Antigone. With us both being at Bard at the time and feeling empowered and supported by the company and by [Bard Executive Director] Claire Sakaki specifically, we knew we wanted it to be a project for their stages, and given that we wanted Antigone to feel intimate, the Douglas Campbell Theatre was the clear choice. Both of us had acted on the stage previously and loved the access to the audience that the small tent provides.

Kate Besworth as Ismene and Azeen Zare, Paul Moniz de Sá, and Cameron Grant as the Chorus

In addition to being the playwright of Antigone, you also play Ismene in this year’s production. What has it been like for you to switch between these two roles?
Ming creates such a collaborative room, and so I simply felt like another voice and another collaborator among many other amazing collaborators! In a more traditional room, I may have had to do more work in keeping the two hats separate (playwright and actor), but because everyone, from stage management to assistant directors to designers to actors, was invited to build the piece together, I had to do very little censoring of myself when making offerings to the group. We all contributed, and I just happened to have written the thing!

Do you have a favourite memory or moment that stands out to you from the Season so far?
Watching Jennifer Lines and Yoshie Bancroft perform the prison scene from Antigone. It was our first run in the rehearsal hall, and I was rapt by their delicate, honest, and exemplary work. I am extremely honoured to have such talented women speaking the words I wrote.

Who are the artists (e.g. performers, writers, musicians, filmmakers, etc.) that have influenced and/or inspired you in your own practice?
Oh my goodness, too many! Everyone I meet! But to be a little more specific, I pull most of my artistic practices and shape my artistic values from authors I read and video essayists I watch; here are some of my favourites:

Written Word: Sara Ahmed, Margaret Atwood, N.K. Jemisin, Ursula K. Le Guin, Hannah McGregor, and Claire Kohda

Video Essayists: The Leftist Cooks, Shanspeare, Princess Weekes, Tim Hickson, Jordan Theresa, Broey Deschanel, ContraPoints, MertKayKay, and Girl on Film

When you’re not under the tents at Bard, how do you like to spend your time?
I love running, collaging, writing literally whenever I can, cuddling with my cats as well as cuddling with my large human cat, Charlie.

Thank you for reading my thoughts; it was lovely to spend time with you.

Thanks so much for chatting with us, Kate!

Be sure to see Kate in Antigone, running until September 18 in our Douglas Campbell Theatre. Tickets start at $30!