Reviewed by Paul Treasure
One of the more interesting parts of attending a modern production of a Greek Tragedy (or a modern adaptation of one) is discovering how relevant they can still be. The uncomfortable truths uncovered by Sophocles and his contemporaries are still uncomfortably true almost two and a half thousand years later. This particular adaptation of Antigone, by the French dramatist Jean Anouilh, is easily one of the most famous and most celebrated modern adaptations of any of the surviving Greek Tragedies, drawing strong parallels between the divided Thebes of myth and the divided France of the Nazi occupation.
Guiding us through the action, Grace Edwards is unnervingly preternatural as the Chorus. Commanding the stage, and our attention whenever she is onstage, Grace has mastered the ability of talking to the audience, not just at it. She plays the Chorus like some anthropomorphic representation of tragedy itself, literally staring the audience down as she explains that what is about to happen must happen and is inevitable and inescapable. She gives the character a forceful and determined physicality to match its role in the proceedings, even (and especially) down to the slow and resounding pounding of her heels on the wooden stage as she walks across it.
Kaitlyn Barry, as the Nurse, gives us a mini masterclass in how to take a single scene character and make it shine. She inhabits her role believably, adding a few masterfully restrained and well-controlled physical character tics to flesh out her character. If Kaitlyn plays her character with restraint, at the other end of the spectrum is Hugh McGuire as Soldier One. Playing his role with an irrepressible exuberance that delights the audience and provides much welcome comic relief to the unfolding oppression around him. His timing is absolutely spot-on and almost slapstick in its breadth. Alex Comstock was heartbreaking as the hapless Haemon, torn between his loyalties for his father and his betrothed. Mitch McAullay as Soldier Two was a great foil in the comic scenes. Megan Lilley was endearing in their role as The Messenger. If there is anything that is to be taken away from this production it is how extremely well director E.R. Kinnear has imbued his actors with such precise physicality that is unique for each of their characters. There is really not a weak link amongst them.
Millie Hillman was delightful as Ismene. This is a deceptively difficult role to play. In many ways, she is the voice of the average person, sweet and somewhat naive but never cloying or annoying. The one character most torn between the competing egos of the two leads. As played by Millie, the earnest wish for everyone else to just bend and compromise a little was palpable in her performance.
The success of any performance of Antigone ultimately rests on the heads of the actors playing the irresistible force of Antigone and the unmovable object of Creon. In this production, there was little doubt we were in good hands. Shivas Lindsay as Creon played his role sternly. A leader determined to do what is right for his kingdom and his people, the rigidity of his mind matched by the rigidity of his physicality. His focus was laser-like in its intensity, and we could feel the visceral fear and discomfort in any of the other characters whenever they came within the orbit of his cold wrath. In the title role of Antigone, Kate Naunton Morgan was entrancing. From the first moments we notice her, gazing mournfully off into the distance, Kate imbues her character with a sense of fatalism. We are in absolutely no doubt that she has made up her mind on a course of action, and is well aware of its probable outcome. One of the hallmarks of a great tragic performance (in the classical sense) is that we must feel its inevitability, and Kate’s performance harnesses this requirement perfectly. The pivotal scene between Antigone and Creon as the two battle it out trying to get the other one to see their point of view is played with an intensity that is unrelenting.
The play is performed on a mostly unadorned New Fortune stage, reminding us of how great an open-air space this venue is. The darkened rear half of the courtyard, which is normally obscured by some sort of drapery, helps to visually propel what is onstage and highlight it. The few pieces of furniture adding to the sparsity onstage and focusing our attention on the action. The absolute minimal use of props added to the effect, although one slightly inaccurate choice of prop did jar momentarily, but would probably not even have been noticed by the majority of the audience.
GRADS are once again to be commended for choosing plays with serious literary merit and producing exciting and enervating productions around them. E.R. Kinnear has given us a well-thought-out production, strongly directed with a clear vision, not only as to the characters, but understanding the themes of the play and making decisive choices as to how the production should go. While no one could ever say that Antigone is an enjoyable play, this production was thrilling, keeping this reviewer literally on the edge of his seat for a great majority of it. The only serious complaint I have about the production is that not enough of the Perth theatre-going scene will step far enough out of their comfort zone to try something this challenging. That is to their great loss as individuals as they have missed out on one of the best nights of theatre this year, and to our great loss as a theatre community as without audiences it becomes harder and harder to produce work of this magnitude and quality.
Reviewer Note: Tickets for this review were provided by the theatre company.
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