Antigone

Antigone is one of the oldest, and most admired, plays in existence. The female protagonist is sentenced to death for burying her brother – a man viewed as a traitor by the recently crowned Creon, who is both her uncle and father to her fiancé.

With its themes of political power and civil disobedience, it is as pertinent a play now as it has ever been.

Director David Levin (who is also responsible for this adaptation of Sophocles’ original) incorporates aspects of the modern world rather than creating a traditional Greek production. The cast are clothed in the fashion of today; copper pipes, coils of black cord, suspended hooks and television sets adorn the stage; and the chorus are represented by three gossiping old men.

The production relies on movement and gestures more than scripted lines, and lighting and sound effects are used more to heighten the emotional response of the audience than to highlight the action on stage.

Strong performances are given by Hannah Donaldson as Antigone and Jimmy Yuill as Creon. Sadly, Levin’s directional choices overshadow, even mute, the work of the cast. As a result of this, by the time the play concludes, one feels very little for these characters. Rather than the emotional pay-off that Sophocles structured within his play, the action falls flat.

As I exited the theatre, I overheard an audience member refer to the play as ‘Greek-enders,’ bringing nods and chuckles from most of those around her. With its focus on style and lack of emotional substance, unfortunately I must agree.