ACTORS of Dionysus, the classical theatre specialists from York, are taking a new look at another of the myths of ancient Greece.

For his latest adaptation, to be premiered at the College of Ripon and York St John in York next week, director David Stuttard has taken Sophocles's 2,500-year-old story of Antigone from classical Thebes and re-located it in the aftermath of a modern Balkan war.

The heart of the drama has not changed: to honour her dead brother, a girl must bury his body but in doing so she has to break the law, sparking off a new crisis in the state and her family.

However, the performance style, let alone the new Balkan setting, moves Greek drama on apace, not least through Actors of Dionysus working with Chicago-born choreographer Thea Nerissa Barnes, who has introduced a sensual physical dimension to their work, taking no prisoners as the actors work up a regular sweat.

This time she will be assisted by Lia Prentaki, who brings a flavour of her native Greece to proceedings.

"Lia's Mediterranean calm means that the two movement specialists can play good cop, bad cop, to get the most out of the performers," says David.

He speculates over what the ancients would think of such a bold approach to performing Sophocles, and has noted a strange phenomenon. "Whenever Actors of Dionysus productions get under way, skies darken and thunder rolls, as if the gods were looking down on the cast," he says.

"This time, it happened as work began on the show's soundtrack. The tape machines rolled up to speed, and ominous rumbles of thunder sent electrical static sizzling through the wires. Was it Sophocles looking over our shoulders, or perhaps an even higher authority?"

David says this production is more of an individual adaptation than any of his previous works. "All the dialogue has been re-written, and while the shape of the opening half mirrors the shape of the Sophocles play, in the second half we explore the psychology of the piece rather more than Sophocles did."

Should he sue you from beyond the grave for doing that, Mr Stuttard? "No, I think he'd thank me!" says David. You half expected the lights to flicker and thunder to roar, but Sophocles must have been biding his time, waiting for the rest of the director's explanation.

"Sophocles wasn't interested in the relationships between characters as much as modern audiences are. We're trying to show the social pattern of the relationships as I believe it's a play about love and the way love motivates the characters."

Still there were no lightning or darkening skies; Sophocles must approve.

Antigone, Actors of Dionysus, Chapel Studio Theatre, College of Ripon and York St John, York, September 12 to 15, 7.30pm, then on tour until December 6. York box office: 01904 623568.