ANTIGONE
 |
| Ann Noble, Peter Mendoza, John Apicella and Kaci Hamilton (Photo by Craig Schwartz Photography) |
Written by: Sophokles (nee Sophocles)
Newly
translated and adapted by: Kenneth Cavander Directed by Andy Wolk:
ANTIGONE continues to appreciative audiences at Antaeus Theatre Company
in Glendale, California.
Seventy
eight seats of eighty filled for a Sunday Matinee in the shamk of a
run counts for something. Word of mouth or patrons who subscribe are in
the house. Do good reviews help?
As I have been recently eliminated from the Antaeus Theatre Invited Critic's List, I came to the matinee with a bit of an attitude.
Suffice it to say that Kenneth Cavander
must have created Kreon's wife, Euridike, with Ann Noble in mind. A
brilliant move. Eurdike takes on a lion's share of the information
traditionally shared by The Chorus. Noble commands stage with fluid moves
and is obviously the power behind the throne.
Diversity
casting is often a problem for me as the adjustment to see siblings and
others played by various ethnicities is a situation that works.. but
it's an effort.Antaeus has often led the move to forget the need for a
single ethnicity to create characters in many of their productions. By the time everyone is introduced, they usually do become simply the characteers in the play.
In
Cavender's adaptation / translation of this bloody story, the polemic
of how power corrupts is spelled out in no uncertain terms. We are
still at Thebes but Kreon (Tony Amendola) instead of king presents a military strong man. He literally steps
through the fourth wall to glad hand the audience. One blatant "remark" is on the stage left wall .. a dripping yellow stain
that sure looks like a map of the good old USA.
The
argument in this version of the story turns on Antigone's (Linda
Park) placing the respectful burial of her brother based on the laws not of
the 'gods' but of Moral Responsibility that may be essentially the same
thing. It is above Kreon's.. 'man's law' that Kreon metes out at his own pleasure.. and eventual demise.
We finds some humor with The Sentry (John Apicella) and his side kick (Kaci Hamilton) who lighten the heavy drama now and then.We meet Hamilton again as Teiresias shaking the stage with bad juju.
Director Andy Wolk's staging smoothly engages the story to flow from the palace to a jail cell and other locales as well.
Someimes
the acting shows and for purists, this version may be appreciated by
abandoning the stiff and sticky way that the Greeks laid out a story.
It's modern and .. thankfully, coms in in one ninety minute act.
I'm
still not a fan of curtain speeches, but Artistic Director , Nike
Doukas, is charming regardless of my bias. The set is okay. The lights
and some special effects are fine. On the heels of the last Antaeus production of ALL MY SONS, this is another polemic for these
rocky times our world faces.
What is Justice, anyway? Who doles it out? When is
fair fair or the 'law' is bound by itself regardless of what the quality of
mercy must bring?
In the original script The Chorus speaks for Sophocled thus of a leader: " If he treats his country’s laws with due respect
and honours justice by swearing on the gods,he wins high honours in his city. But when he grows bold and turns to evil, then he has no city. A man like that—
let him not share my home or know my mind."
If you know the story of Antigone and then come to see this vbersion and tell a friend? Tell them that I sent you!
Michael Sheehan
onstagelosangeles
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