Antigone: A Celebration of Theatre’s Depth
Enloe Theatre does it again.
Whereas many schools would struggle with ancient Greek text translated with Shakespearean-like diction, Enloe’s Actor’s Ensemble dives right in, tackling Sophocles’ famous work Antigone with all the vigor and skill we’ve come to expect from this group of performers. Though the only scenes released thus far were merely previews of the show, we can already expect great things.
Caroline Farley (12th) plays Antigone with all the ferocity and resolve of a lioness protecting her family. The strength and certainty in every movement anchors the room and raises the stakes every time she enters the stage. Antigone is the driving force behind the entire play, and Farley provides the energy necessary to sustain the action every step of the way.
Chloe Calhoun (11th), in her debut as a named character, portrays Ismene and her internal struggle flawlessly. Her energy and distress practically seizes the audience by the throat, and she is undeterred by the naturalistic elements of the show’s blocking. She embraces them and lives in every moment.
Sean Clayton (12th) steps into the role of Creon, the strictly lawful, newly crowned, king of Thebes. It is a far cry from his previous notable performances working with the gentle goofy nature of Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Dead and the vaudevillian humor of Vertumnus and Bacchus in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Clayton, a naturally comedic performer, showcases his true depth and flexibility as an actor, stepping into the place of an imposing, intimidating, deeply flawed monarch, ruled by fear and the pressures of judgement. He handles every intricate detail with precision and passion, all the while maintaining such an excellent understanding of the language that the audience forgets the vernacular is from another time. He graciously provides viewers with someone who is devastatingly human—while simultaneously wonderfully easy to hate.
Though the preview didn’t feature much of the chorus, their energy and devotion was clear. In the rare moments when they were not on stage, the playing space felt empty and cold. They added life and passion to every moment, staying engaged even during a fourth period preview for only one class that showed up. It is very clearly a team effort, and the unification of forces adds a depth to the show that comes from each and every actor’s work.
The production is created by the students themselves, from the costume and makeup design to reworking the assigned lines. Farley, Calhoun, and Elizabeth Sullivan (Tiresias) created the makeup looks, indicating the position of the cast members from the crisp, clean lines of Creon’s Chorus to the more wild expressions of the more mystical and poetic “Ethereal Chorus”. The costumes reflect this as well. Spearheaded by Austin Richards and Thornton (director) herself, the cast is draped in black, white, gray, and beige. Richards says he focused on the “silhouettes” when working with costume concepts for each character, creating an even clearer distinction between the untethered Ethereal Chorus and the sleek players in Creon’s Chorus.
Thornton brings a new outlook to the stage, setting the production in a black box style in the 700 LL. This allows the actors to be less than a foot away from the audience at times, and coupled with the naturalistic elements and otherworldly dialogue, creates a tension that is palpable in the room. Wesley Wood (11th) expresses excitement with this up-close-and-personal aspect that is not often able to be explored in live theatre. The “almost cinematic” quality of the text translates very well into this style, so when the script suggests a close-up view, the actors can provide that. Beyond the space itself, the bare wooden frame holds four screens which display static, backgrounds, videos, and even live footage from a camera held by a cast member. This integration of technology further bridges the time gap from ancient Greece to today, and makes the experience even more powerful. One of the hallmarks of Greek tragedy is the absence of violence on stage, and what transpires is told by a messenger. However, by using the film medium, audiences get to witness the events unfold “off stage” even as they are narrated, and the film (shot by cast member Abi Shorter) brings a secondary depth that is entirely unique.
Even though Antigone was written in the 400s BCE, the themes and characters span the centuries— something the performers have clearly connected to. The concepts of fate vs. free will, good vs. evil, and man vs. gods are all integrated throughout. However, the actors have taken this cross-cultural connection even further. Clayton compares Creon to the late Antonin Scalia and his strict policy of interpreting the Constitution. Wood explored some of the moral quandaries that come with the secularization of church and state and being asked to ignore religious moral backgrounds.
All in all, this production of Antigone is sure to be something you don’t want to miss. But beyond that, it is clear that the cast gained an enriching experience by being a part of the production. It is a celebration of everything theatre can be— an exploration of the human spirit, an engaging story that anyone can appreciate, and a creation born of the hearts and minds of a growing generation.
Tickets can be found online at http://enloetheatre.wixsite.com/enloetheatre
