Reader Reviews
Antigone (Olivier (National Theatre), West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Polly Findlay's production of Antigone is set in a modern day Thebes, located somewhere in the Pennines judging by the two main actors retaining their own accents. Cristopher Eccleston is characteristically intense as Creon, the ruler determined to push forward with an unpopular strategy in the face of mounting dissent. Jodie Wnittaker's Antigone is a very down-to-earth pragmatist, accepting her fate as the consequence of loyalty for her unburied brother and there is a superb cameo from Jamie Ballard as the blind propher Teiresias. The production moves at terrific pace for 90 minutes but does suffer from a couple of problems: Antigone herself only features in three scenes and the horrific climax breaks the rule of show don't tell as the deaths of Antigone and Haemon are communicated by a messenger (as in Phaedra). However this should not detract from a production which brilliantly conveys the continuing relevance of ancient Greek drama. - David Baxter | 20 Jun 12 |
| Riveting, imaginative production with excellent performances. Amazingly topical before the inevitable slide into the chilling world where the Olympian gods rule all. Recommended. - Alice | 20 Jun 12 |
| Fantactic. The National Theatre at it's best. - Taljaard | 06 Jun 12 |
| May have worked better in a more intimate space- the staging was too intrusive. I thought Christopher Ecclestone wooden and lacking in the required powerful stage presence. - Jean Anderson | 05 Jun 12 |
| Outstanding setting, clever depiciton of Creon in a modern era, demonstrates very well the relevance of an 2,500 year old play to our lives. The director intentionally weakens the significance of Antigone in order to demonstrate the destructive power of authoriatarianism. Highly recommended. - Solon | 02 Jun 12 |
| Really rather safe, drab and dull. Terrible translation, and actors being directed into a small triangle at the very front of the vast Olivier stage.Very surprised at the praise for Eccelstone, who was stumbling over lines and just plain can't act! A wasted opportunity... but then if you will thrust extremely inexperienced, yet promising, directors to the fore of your programming then what can you expect! - Cassox | 01 Jun 12 |
| The director clearly can't handle actors. Poor work and a vision the size of the Arcola, not the Olivier. Really surprised by the critical response to this. - James Keystone | 31 May 12 |
| Very strong production that is not shying away from eferencing today´s political crises. Making it relevant might make for uncomfortable watching but we do not need polished blunt entertainment as too many musicals offer nowadays. Highly recommended. - Elisabeth | 31 May 12 |
| Turgid production, not helped by the jarring juxtaposition of a modern 'administration' making references to The Gods throughout. Also, I think Mr Coveney's reference in his review to the horrific events in Syria is tasteless and unwarranted. - Melanie Boyce | 31 May 12 |
| Another solid production from the National-so rarely do they let us down these days and the staging , as ever , is first class. Ecclestone is excellent as Creon ; not quite so convinced by Whittaker as Antigone but that's just a quibble. - DCH | 31 May 12 |
| superb evening.riveting - Graham Brown | 31 May 12 |
