Antigone at Derby Theatre review.

“No man can be fully known, in soul and spirit and mind until he has been seen versed in rule and law giving” So said the tragedian Sophocles in his play Antigone. Playwright Roy Williams, inspired by the story, gives us a contemporary version set in Thebes; a dark underworld ruled by gang lord Creo. Creo is played with a cool menace and some scary humour by Mark Monero and his character is a force to be reckoned with. His rules have no soul or fairness of spirit and his laws are absolute – disrespect me and you die. The language of this thrilling play is very direct, of the street, dangerous and at times poetic. Roy Williams has done a brilliant job of bringing this classic tale bang up to date for a modern audience. The audience atmosphere in the theatre throughout is tangible. It seems at times that one hardly dare breath as the story unfolds. It sucks you in.

 

 

All conflict is there; Creo's son Eamon, dares to tell his father that listening to the people is a smart move if he wants to stay in power and is expelled from the 'fam' which eventually leads to his tragic death with his lover Antigone. Eamon (Gamba Cole) is superb in this production; all aspects of his portrayal of this Romeo - like character ring true; the vulnerable teenager; the troubled lover of Antigone (Tig); the maturing young man desperate to be loved by his intensely difficult parents.

Modern day audiences will also recognise the Mother- Son relationship between Creo's wife Eunice (Doreene Blackstock) and Eamon as she tries to tell him to stop connecting with the 'inbred' Tig and he back chats her whilst promising not too. A lovely powerful performance by Blackstock, at once caring and yet with an element of danger about her character's personality, born of a hard upbringing herself in Old Thebes.

Tig (Savannah Gordon – Liburd) niece of Creo is very credible throughout as a strong woman out for revenge against Creo for killing her brother Orrin and leaving him uncovered on the street to rot as a warning to others that a similar fate might befall them. Gordon – Liburd particularly shines in the cellar scene where she rails defiantly at fate and the Gods through the CCTV camera trained on her and magnified to electrifying effect on the back wall. Her scene with Eamon before their tragic deaths is a master class of acting where much is said within the silences.

As a counter balance to Tig's angst and anger we have the partially calming presence of Esme, sister of Tig played by Freida Thiel in a superbly understated performance in the siblings' emotional tug of war. Esme becomes the cathartic embodiment of kindness and unexpected forgiveness and generosity that we see at each end of the ninety-two minute theatrical piece.

There is humour throughout the play as we recognise the displays of power struggles unfolding and actor Oliver Wilson puts in a 'blinding' darkly comical performance as old gangster/soothsayer Tyrese who once again tries to tell Creo to have some humanity in acceding to allow the dead to be buried. “... they will move against you, every single one of them. Are you going to throw them all in a dark hole? You might as well throw yourself, you and your own stupid self reproach. This bad bwoi act can only last so far. Believe me I know!”

The whole ensemble of Pilot Theatre's production at Derby Theatre work hard to create a thoroughly engaging world of treachery and danger. Director Marcus Romer's stylish work on this is exemplary as is their trademark use of multi-media within the production. This theatrical work achieved through Derby Theatre, Pilot Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East is a brilliant example of exciting and electrifying theatre truly connecting with a modern day audience.

Antigone plays at DerbyTheatre until October 4^th and tours until Spring 2015.

Photos copyright Robert Day

Review originally published by The Big Issue 24th September 2014

Antigone interview at Derby Theatre.

Interview with Marcus Romer and two members of the Antigone cast

On Tuesday 2nd of September I had the pleasure of interviewing Marcus Romer the director of Pilot Theatre's forthcoming production of Antigone. This is a new adaptation for our times by award winning writer Roy Williams and opens at Derby Theatre on the 19^th September until 4^th October.




Roy Williams

Antigone is produced by Theatre Royal Stratford East, Pilot Theatre and Derby Theatre and looks to be a highlight of their current season. Playwright Roy Williams has taken Sophocles play and placed it in a contemporary setting bringing Thebes into the 21^st Century re-enforcing this dark tale's relevance and vitality.

Derby Theatre are also hosting a writing Master Class with Roy Williams on Wednesday 24th September and Pilot Theatre and their directorial team are offering a Pilot Theatre Master Class exploring the way they harness emergent technologies in this forthcoming production of Antigone. This will take place Saturday 4th October at Derby Theatre.

 

Joining me in the interview were Marc Monero (Creon) and Doreene Blackstock as (Creon's wife Eunice) and Heidi McKenzie of Derby Theatre. I had just had the good fortune to sit in on one of their exciting rehearsals.



Marcus Romer

Marcus was keen to promote the story of Antigone as a timeless story about loyalty, universal truths and the often dark side of human nature and human frailties. He also said that it is also about atrocious acts that are committed at the time of war – the heads on spikes – situations that warn people/ the enemy of the utter danger of betraying those in power. Antigone's brother is killed and Creon refuses to let the body be moved from the place where he has fallen – in the street – and Antigone defies king Creon by taking away the body and burying it. His reaction is to bury the woman Antigone alive as a public punishment for defying his laws.

Doreene Blackstock

I asked actors Mark Monero (Creon) and Doreene Blackstock (Eunice) if there was any time during the play that we see a softer side of Creo (as he is known in this adaptation) through their portrayal as husband and wife. They laughed and quickly conceded that there wasn't. He even casts out his own son who tries to make his Dad aware that the people are turning against him.

During the interview we shared some personal stories of difficult issues within family units, stubborn parents mainly and concluded that the themes of the play are timeless. There was also an agreement that the audiences should recognise these situations as things we experience through the news today and sometimes directly. This play is a precursor to plays about warring factions and families such as Romeo and Juliet and the often tragic results of their quarrelling.


 

Mark Monero

After recently reviewing a brilliant production of Spring Awakening by Headlong Theatre Company that used multi-media extensively as a story telling tool, I was keen to hear about the use of multi-media in this play. Marcus explained that the 'Gods' in the play are theatrically established by being 'all seeing' surveillance cameras in the street and the use of mobile phone videos are utilised as a device to show the memories of Creon as he reflects back upon his life of mismanaged earthly power and corruption and regrets.

Finally, I asked about how the play would work in the classical Greek sense of a catharsis at the end. Marcus smiled a secretive smile and agreed that there IS a catharsis at the end after all the theatrical demands of the story BUT the audience will have to wait and find out what it is!

Check out Pilot's website for more details on the rehearsals

Antigone will be touring through nationally Autumn 2014 and playing at Theatre Royal Stratford East Spring 2015.

Photo images copyright Robert Day.