Syrian refugee women tell their story through theatre performance in Beirut

The adaptation of the classic by ancient Greek playwright Sophocles, tells of arrests at government checkpoints, harassment by rebel factions, the search for hope and struggles against social barriers.

The women, whose show opened Wednesday at Beirut’s top Madina theatre, had no previous acting experience.

The production, which also runs Thursday and Friday, is a show of defiance as the women act out their painful experiences through the rebellious character of Antigone, whose two brothers lead opposite sides in a brutal civil war.

To 33-year-old Syrian Mohammad al-Attar, who adapted the original script, it reflects “the battle Syrian women are fighting today.”