Five Reasons to See … Antigone
Tom Littler’s production of Antigone opened at Southwark Playhouse on 20 May (previews from 17 May) playing a limited season to 18 June. Using Timberlake Wertenbaker’s poetic translation, the production is staged in response to the ongoing events of the Arab Spring.
Jamie Glover stars as General Kreon, the new leader of Thebes, alongside newcomer Eleanor Wyld as Antigone, Olivier Award-winning actor Edward Petherbridge and Bergerac’s Deborah Grant.
Glover, who is best known for his role as Andrew Treneman in Waterloo Road, tells us about getting to grips with Sophocles’ tragedy and gives us his top five reasons to see the show.
1. This is Greek tragedy for people who don’t think they like Greek tragedy.
A lot of people, until recently me included, find Greek drama tricky because it can feel distant, dusty and archaic, but this production brings it up to date. The contemporary Middle Eastern setting cuts through the 2,500 years and makes it feel relevant and urgent.
2. This play is probably more relevant and politically important than any other play on in London at the moment.
Every day we open a newspaper to read about what’s going on in Libya, Yemen or Syria, countries which are all in political flux. While we were rehearsing, the news of Osama bin Laden’s death came through which is an extraordinary modern parallel for Polyneikes’ death in Sophocles’ play. The way that Sophocles’ Thebans vacillate from initially rejoicing over Polyneikes death, to ultimately being swayed by Antigone’s desire to honour the man behind the terrorist, is mirrored in the reaction to bin Laden’s death. America rejoiced in the first 24 hours but a week later was starting to question why an unarmed man was eliminated and then unceremoniously dumped at sea.
3. The cast is fantastic.
Edward Petherbridge has been wonderful to work with and is gloriously ethereal as Tiresias. Deborah Grant as Eurydike brings extraordinary passion and simplicity to the role, while Eleanor Wyld, who plays Antigone, proves that she is someone to watch for in the future.
4. The show has a beautiful new score by David Allen.
The Greek choruses in the play are notoriously difficult to solve, but with some of them being sung and others underscored with a haunting Arabic and ancient timbre they help up the emotional stakes as the story unfolds.
5. The show has a look and scale that you would not necessarily expect at an Off-West End venue.
Simon Kenny’s powerful and austere set sits organically in the forbidding arches under London Bridge Station. It is hard to tell where the set ends and the building begins. It is amazing to see a cast of this size in an Off-West End venue; there is a chorus of 15 on top of the 8principles. It feels epic in a way companies outside the National and the RSC can rarely achieve.
Antigone opened at Southwark Playhouse on 20 May (previews from 17 May) where it continues until 18 June 2011.
