OSCAR-WINNING star Juliette Binoche is to return to the UK stage to star in a new adaptation of the Greek tragedy Antigone.

The French star will perform at the Edinburgh International Festival as well as at the Barbican in London - where she starred in Mademoiselle Julie two years ago.

Binoche, who took the best supporting actress Oscar for The English Patient in 1997, will appear in the new production next year. She made her London debut in 1998, appearing at London's Almeida Theatre in the play Naked and in 2008 she was in a dance production choreographed by Akram Khan at the National Theatre.

It will be directed by Belgian Ivo van Hove, who will present a new translation by poet Anne Carson.

Van Hove said: "While searching for a play for our first collaboration, Juliette and I very quickly agreed that Antigone would be the right artistic challenge for both of us. The play itself has the explosiveness of a nuclear bomb.

"It deals with all possible relationships: man against woman, political against ethical leadership, the laws of society against the right of the individual, family and its unbreakable blood ties."

Toni Racklin, the Barbican's head of theatre, said: "We are thrilled to be presenting this new production here at the Barbican and taking it to stages around the world. It illustrates how a major new production can be realised through our strong relationships with global partners."