ISMENE
Step beyond the myth and into the voice history forgot: Antigone’s sister reclaims her story, offering a bold new perspective on the classic tale of sacrifice, familial loyalty, and the cost of defiance.
Event Times
March 3, 2026 - 8:00 pm
Centaur Theatre in partnership with Théâtre du Double Signe presents
ISMENE
By Carole Fréchette
Translated by Linda Gaboriau
Directed by Alisa Palmer
Starring Amelia Sargisson
Set & Costume Design by Gillian Gallow
Lighting Design by Andréanne Deschênes
Sound Design by Gaël Lane Lépine
Stage Manager Catherine Mathieu
The story of Antigone—loyal, headstrong, and coolly rebellious—has captivated theatre audiences for more than twenty-five centuries. But in the shadows of her iconic tale, another story has been waiting for its moment in the spotlight. In this powerful reimagining by world-renowned Québécoise playwright Carole Fréchette, translated into English by the acclaimed Linda Gaboriau, Antigone’s sister Ismene finally takes centre stage.
Invited to tell her version of the ancient story, Ismene—the watchful, prudent, and often overlooked second daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta—returns to the moment that has defined her legacy for centuries. Alone with her thoughts, she launches into a monologue that is at first careful, measured, and assured. But as she speaks, certainty begins to erode. What begins as explanation gradually becomes something more volatile: a confession, a reckoning, an emotional excavation of an existence shaped by hesitation and fear, but also a profound love of life.
As the past floods backs to the present, Ismene revisits the charged bond between herself and her more infamous sister; one choosing uncompromising defiance and death, the other reconciliation and the preservation of precious life. In doing so, the play brings Sophocles’ ideas of law and justice into the 21st century. What emerges is a profound and stirring meditation on the search for peace and harmony in an imperfect world, in contrast to the unambiguous purity of heroism and radicalism.
This solo performance is brought to life by acclaimed director Alisa Palmer and the extraordinary Amelia Sargisson, well known to Centaur Theatre audiences for her performances in Paradise Lost, The 39 Steps, and more. In an incredible feat of bilingual theatrical artistry, Sargisson will also perform the play in its original French at Théâtre du Double Signe in Sherbrooke in October 2026.
*Why You Need to See It*
A haunting, modern retelling of Antigone’s forgotten sister that asks what history leaves out and what it costs to survive it.