In the warm embrace of Sydney’s Roslyn Packer Theatre as part of Sydney Festival, on January 4, 2025, audiences were swept into a powerful mix of Greek tragedy, political activism, and urgent environmentalism. Milo Rau’s Antigone in the Amazon isn’t just a play; it’s a wake-up call wrapped in the kind of theatre that transcends the boundaries of performance. It’s a gut-punch of modern grief, re-imagining the ancient tale of Antigone with a twist, weaving together ancient drama and modern tragedy against the backdrop of one of the planet’s most pressing crises: the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
From Tragedy to Truth: The Brazilian Connection
At its core, Rau’s adaptation draws a direct line between the iconic myth of Antigone—a young woman defying the might of a despotic king—and the 1996 massacre of activists from Brazil’s Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) in Pará, a region at the heart of the Amazon. This brutal tragedy, in which 19 peaceful protesters were killed by federal police during a highway blockade, serves as the pulse of the production. The performance asks the audience to reflect on the inherent tension between state power and individual humanity—a theme that echoes through the centuries, from ancient Greek tragedies to the harsh, real-world struggles unfolding in the Amazon.
The play frames the tragedy of the Amazon itself as a microcosm of global suffering. Rau is unflinching in his presentation of the ecological, cultural, and human cost of the destruction. The Amazon, often referred to as "the lungs of the planet," is on life support, and its demise is portrayed not just as an environmental issue, but a human rights catastrophe—something that, in the modern world, we are all complicit in.
A Heroine for Our Time
Antigone in the Amazon places an Indigenous activist, played by Kay Sara, at the heart of its narrative. A member of the Amazonian community Lauaretê, Sara brings a raw authenticity to the role of Antigone. Her character isn’t just rebelling against a fictional king in ancient Thebes, but standing up to the violent forces that threaten the very existence of the land she calls home. Through Sara’s portrayal, we see how the ancient heroism of Antigone can be transposed into the modern world, where activism is not just about defying unjust rulers but fighting to protect the future of the Earth itself.
The story’s setting could not be more timely. With the election of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in 2018, deforestation efforts escalated, and the Amazon has been under siege ever since. Rau’s work is a direct challenge to this destructive path, calling on its audience to confront the ever-growing social and ecological violence perpetrated in the name of greed and corporate interests. It is not just Antigone fighting for justice; it is humanity itself grappling with its responsibility toward the planet.
The Heartbeat of Theatre: A Mix of Documentary, Drama, and Reality
Rau’s commitment to documentary-style theatre is palpable in this production. It blurs the lines between historical re-enactment, political statement, and performance art. It’s not just about presenting a fictional narrative; it’s about bringing history to life, creating a space for dialogue, and demanding collective action. The play's cast, a mixture of professional actors and MST activists, speaks directly to the audience about their experiences—combining real-life stories with the haunting mythological backdrop of Antigone’s defiance. The result is a performance that feels incredibly immediate and deeply personal.
The simple set design—a thick layer of red earth that shifts and evolves throughout the show—acts as both a stage and a metaphor for the Amazon itself. The earth is walked on, touched, and even thrown toward the audience, reminding everyone of the fragile connection between humanity and the planet. The set’s physical transformation mirrors the environmental degradation of the Amazon, showing how the very ground beneath our feet is being destroyed in the pursuit of profit.
Film projections add a documentary-style layer, moving between scenes of the lush rainforest and the blood-stained aftermath of the massacre. These elements don’t just provide context—they transport the audience straight into the heart of Brazil’s land struggles. A live choir of Brazilian activists fills the space with a raw, emotional soundtrack that resonates long after the final curtain falls. They are not merely performing—they are testifying.
A Production That Demands Attention
In keeping with Rau’s Ghent Manifesto—a set of principles guiding his NTGent productions—Antigone in the Amazonisn’t just about portraying the world as it is. It’s about urging us to change it. The performance goes beyond art for art’s sake, challenging the audience to take action. Rau himself has said, “The real tragedy of our time is that we don’t have any means to describe it.” In this production, the tragedy isn’t just on the stage—it is unfolding in front of our eyes, right now, in the Amazon and beyond.
This production is part of a larger trend in Rau’s work, where he tackles contemporary political crises through the lens of ancient myth. His previous works, including The New Gospel and Oresteia, have similarly confronted social and political injustice, and Antigone in the Amazon is no different. It is an immersive, politically charged work that demands not just emotional engagement but action. The tragedy of the Amazon is not just in the past; it is unfolding in real time. And as the ancient Greeks understood, there are consequences when humanity refuses to acknowledge its responsibilities.
Antigone in the Amazon is the type of performance that could rouse even the most jaded theatre-goers out of their holiday stupor. It’s a departure from the typical summer fare, but it is exactly what we need at this moment—an emotional, intellectual, and political jolt. It’s a call to arms, urging us all to confront the destruction of the Amazon and the wider fight for social justice. This is not just a play; it is a demand for action, a fierce reminder that the fight for the planet and its people is far from over.
If there’s any play that can rattle Sydney from its holiday haze, it’s Antigone in the Amazon. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s a tragic reminder that sometimes, the heroes of our time are those fighting not just for their own survival but for the survival of the world as we know it. It’s more than theatre—it’s activism, it’s history, it’s the future. It’s time to listen.
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Words by AW.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Wilson Barker.