Toward a Minor Theatre: Myriam Ben's Algerian Antigone

• Autores: Caroline Kelley
• Localización: 452ºF: Revista de Teoría de la Literatura y Literatura Comparada, ISSN-e 2013-3294, Nº. 5, 2011, págs. 74-98
• Idioma: español
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo (pdf)
• Resumen
  • español

    La obra de Myriam Ben Leïla, poème scénique en deux actes et un prologue me ha parecido una reinterpretación de la Antígona de Sófocles. Considero que esta fusión entre el teatro argelino, la historia y la tragedia griega da prioridad a una variedad de �teatro menor� que se establece con el fin de debilitar las estructuras dramaturgas ya implantadas y las narrativas históricas prevalecientes sobre la Revolución Argelina (1954-1962). Al trabajar en la línea de una obra canónica, la dramaturga resta importancia a la tragedia clásica mediante una adaptación técnica que nos evoca al pensamiento, mientras que, al mismo tiempo, rebate las narrativas sumergiéndose en los acontecimientos de la lucha por la liberación, el Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) y, en particular, en el derrocamiento militar del presidente Ahmed Ben Bella por el ministro de Defensa Houari Boumediene en 1965. A pesar de la concreción del contexto, la alegoría natural de esta obra cuenta con un gran sentido de la universalidad. Mientras que el entorno en el que se enmarca es indudablemente la Argelia posrevolucionaria, la historia que transmite podría tener lugar en cualquier país tanto del pasado como de la actualidad: las dictaduras no se han limitado al norte de África

  • English

    In this paper, I read Myriam Ben�s Leïla, poème scénique en deux actes et un prologue as a reinterpretation of Sophocles� Antigone. I contend that this blend of Algerian theatre, history and Greek tragedy yields a variety of �minor theatre� that sets out to undermine established dramaturgical structures and prevailing historical narratives about the Algerian Revolution (1954-1962). Working in the outline of a canonical work, the playwright decentres the classic tragedy by way of a thought-provoking technical adaptation while, at the same time, refuting the fictions shrouding the events of the liberation struggle, the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) and, especially, the military overthrow of President Ahmed Ben Bella by his Defence Minister Houari Boumediene in 1965. Despite the specificity of its context, however, the allegorical nature of the play allows for a sense of universality. While its milieu is undoubtedly post-revolution Algeria, the story it communicates might take place in any country past or present � dictatorships not being limited to North Africa

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