By Amy Van Veen (The Cascade) – Email
Antigone Now
By Melissa Cooper
Directed by Danielle Milette (UFV)
Running time: 60 minutes
Showtimes: Friday 10:30 p.m. and Saturday 6:50 p.m.
Memorable lines: “Our new king killed our old king – this is where the shit hits the fan.”
“They’ve seen too much too soon and the monsters they fear are real.”
Warnings: Dark themes and mild coarse language
Antigone, the youngest daughter of the tragic Oedipus, is faced with the hard decision whether or not to do what she believes is right – give her brother the honourable burial her uncle has forbidden by law.
Before you get scared away by the Greek mythology, Antigone Now brings the story of Antigone and her sister Ismene—or Tiggs and Izzy—to a present day Thebes and every aspect of it is fully explained for the Greek novices.
As the packed audience filed in, it was clear from the sparse set that this play would a minimalist approach and it was quickly apparent that the strength of the actors could transport the audience into the intensity of Antigone’s struggles.
Unfortunately, there were some awkward light and music transitions at the start of the play that left me feeling detached. After the welcome and reminder to turn off cell phones, there was a long pause between the audience applause and the start of the play. No lights were dimmed, no notice was given and a couple latecomers further confused me as I wasn’t sure where the actors were entering from.
The technical difficulties continued. As background music quietly played during a strong moment between the two sisters, the music abruptly stopped, once again causing me to step back.
While some of the technical aspects caused moments of awkwardness, the strength of the acting took the audience along for the tragic emotional roller coaster. A city ravaged by war, a leader looking for both justice and peace, one daughter choosing life and another daughter choosing right – Antigone Now is an intimate retelling of the Sophocles’ classic.We can only hope that the technical difficulties are a symptom of the first show, and that the bugs will be worked out by the next time it plays.
