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Sedos presents
21 – 25 July 09
A review by Mary Couzens for EXTRA! EXTRA! R In its’ original Greek format, the tragedy Antigone by Sophocles, circa 442 B.C. the third of three Theban plays, (but written first), speaks of what happens in the aftermath of the deaths of two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, leaders of opposing sides in a Civil War, both of whom died in the same battle while jostling for the throne. The new King, their uncle Creon, granted Eteocles a State funeral while Polyneices’ remains have been left to rot in the sweltering sun. Antigone and Ismene, their two sisters mourn that fact, which puts their family in disgrace, with Antigone remaining particularly adamant that Polyneices’ remains must be buried for him to achieve salvation. In Sedos’ more modern interpretation of the myth, based on Naouilh’s 1942 adaptation, which was written to bolster the sagging French resistance under Nazi occupation, Creon reminds Antigone that her brothers were little more than gangsters. The fact that we now accept the fact of our mental and emotional separation from the atrocities of the world through the distancing effects of media, though not specifically presented as such here, still informs many of the production’s directorial choices. There is no set to speak of, apart from a throne like chair for King Creon, so the lighting and sound become more important than usual, as do things like costumes, which are kept intentionally plain in order to allow the emoting of the actors to become the focal point. Narrator/chorus Mickey Killianey almost acts as a Greek god, snapping his fingers to evoke appropriate images on a screen over the stage and ‘invisibly’ waving his hands like a puppet master so that the actors move from one spot to another. This is an interesting concept that really works well and helps add texture to the production. However, Killianey’s narration could do with a bit more pacing in that it is often spoken far too rapidly to be easily understood. The same could be said of a couple of the performances. Directors, please remember that we are out there, listening and that we need the words to be spoken clearly and at a normal pace. That said, there are some very solid performances here. Alethea Steven makes an emotive Antigone and Craig Karpel turns in his usually reliable portrayal as King Creon. Tom Brenan is also credible as Antigone’s forlorn lover, Haemon, and Barry Clarke adds humour, albeit, dark, as Private Jonas, the guard who must arrest Antigone. The storyline of this play is so timeless that its parameters can be easily shifted from one era to another. In the case of this production, the action seems to focus on the shifting of power, between the established order and individuality. But it could almost be read in any way the viewer chooses to see it, it is that open to interpretation, and that is one of its best points. In my experience, at the very least, Sedos is one company that can always be relied upon to provide competent theatre. When they are at their best, their productions crackle with enthusiasm. When they are their lower ebb, they tend to amble along more slowly. This production hovers somewhere between those two dimensions.
Sedos have three more shows in the works for the rest of this year. If variety is the spice of life, then this company exhibits plenty of zest for acting through their varied, interesting and enjoyable work.
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