Talented students near Banbury to bring 2,500-year-old Greek tragedy to life in Grade I listed village church

Twenty-one Chenderit School students have joined the production team for the performances of The Burial at Thebes: Sophocles’ Antigone.

Under the direction of 17-year-old William Harding, the actors will bring the ancient Greek tragedy to life in three performances at All Saints Church in Middleton Cheney next month.

The students, who are in Years 10 to 13 and are supported by a student creative team, will perform Seamus Heaney’s acclaimed translation of Sophocles’ tragedy, which follows Antigone as she defies King Creon’s order that her brother, Polyneices, must remain unburied.

Her decision sparks a confrontation between individual conscience and political authority, raising questions about justice, leadership and the limits of obedience that remain relevant almost 2,500 years after the play was written.

William’s journey towards directing the production began with his own experience of Greek theatre, having performed in Playbox Theatre’s production of Sophocles’ Electra in November 2025.

William said: “What I had once imagined as stiff and distant revealed itself to be immediate, challenging and full of questions that still matter. The Burial at Thebes offered an opportunity to share that discovery with a wider school and local audience.”

The setting is central to the production, with students using All Saints Church as the stage rather than a conventional theatre or elaborate set.

Audience members will sit in two rows facing each other, with performers moving between them. This arrangement has been designed to offer different viewpoints of the unfolding conflict, placing spectators alongside the opposing arguments at the heart of the play.

Michelle Jackson-Pate, head of drama at Chenderit School, said: “We are incredibly proud of the cast and creative crew. Students have fully embraced and demonstrated the school ethos and values of ‘work hard, aim high, be kind’, being wonderful role models for our school community.

“This is an exemplary production showcasing a wide age range of students, with excellent student leadership demonstrated by our Sixth-formers. We are excited to collaborate with All Saints Church, who have been excellent in accommodating and supporting this performance opportunity, and are thrilled for it to be shared with the wider community.

“All Saints Church will add an additional dimension to the traverse production of The Burial at Thebes and we are all very excited to see the vision fully realised.”

Churchwardens Mike Wilks and Bridget Robb said: “We are delighted to welcome Chenderit School’s production of The Burial at Thebes to All Saints Church.

“The historic setting provides a particularly meaningful backdrop for a play exploring conscience and morality. We are proud to support these talented young people and to welcome the local community to the church this November.”

Students have also taken responsibility for directing, design, technical production, photography, publicity and other creative aspects of the project.

William said: “Beyond putting on the performances, I will feel as though we have succeeded if we can create a moment where the community can come together and experience the atmosphere of live theatre, right at the heart of the village.”

Both performances, on Thursday, November 12, and Friday, November 13, have sold out.