‘Antigone’ - National Olivier Theatre - Wednesday 20th June 2012

(Rated 4/5 )

This last of my Antigone reviews will be short. Please do check out the others for more information. 
Just wanted to add a few comments on my experience of the performance last night.
The whole thing progressed more quickly - made it feel punchier. That said - for me - the whole play is still too laboured and like a discussion of the same issues over and over again. That's fine, but in a way, lacks dramatic potential in a more emotional sense. The most emotion is felt - and that's significant I guess - from Jamie Ballard as the prophet Teiresias - he cannot see and so he feels, whilst the others see, think and analyse too much.
That said, Jodie Whittaker in her last scene as Antigone - facing death and bemoaning the loss of being a wife and mother - moved me much more than in previous performances. And I really believed Chris Eccleston as the broken man Creon. At last I felt empathy for his plight in the position he is in as a leader doing his best to maintain order in difficult circumstances, how in that position he feels he has to put first what he thinks is best for Thebes, rather than his own family, but at such an enormous personal cost to himself and the lives of those he loves. He is left with nothing. He is nothing. I literally felt empty as he said that.

I know for many it is hard to afford what I am about to write! Thanks to the lower prices of some of London's theatres, such as The National, this can be possible. I LOVE the experience of seeing a play several times during its run. I have seen a progression and development. I've also enjoyed the different choices the actors have made. And I have come to increasingly understand and appreciate the messages of Antigone. Over time The play and characters have come to life and debated with me and the rest of the audience, making me think about many different issues, which the play triggers. And that's how the theatrical experience ought to be. Thanks to all involved!

Antigone – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2012

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‘Antigone’ - National Olivier Theatre - Sunday 10th June 2012

(Rated 4/5 )

And now I can genuinely give this production a higher score J (Please see my previous review of opening preview night.) This time I really felt emotions, thought hard with the characters about the issues, arguments and conflicts and felt completely engaged with what was going on. Well done to all! As I said before maybe it wasn’t fair of me to review the very first performance and expect so much, but that said I have seen other previews that certainly affected me much more and were more engaging. This time I felt confident and safely carried along with the drama. Last time I felt highly anxious, willing the cast to do well, but cringing that it wasn’t happening for me.

On this occasion I went with a small group of people. We had a brilliant time during the play and discussing over a meal afterwards. The following incorporates reactions from us all and thank you to my friends for their interesting, insightful and entertaining comments and allowing me to add them to my review.

The theme of this play is tyranny. This time that fully came across – not simply the tyrannical Creon, but also the bullying from Antigone, who in some ways, and in some cultures old and contemporary could be seen as a terrorist herself. Jodie Whittaker as Antigone was less the petulant child she had seemed before, and Christopher Eccleston’s Creon’s internal self-deliberation was visible. Their debates felt like bullets aiming at and hitting their targets even though those targets were not outwardly wounded. Yet I did feel the wounds between father; Creon and son; Haemon as they verbally and physically fought over their views and the condemnation of the Haemon’s betrothed, Antigone. Big shout out goes to Luke Newberry – I was moved by Haemon’s truth and he made impact on his unbending father to the point of Creon having to literally attempt to beat the opposition out of his son, with an effort so strong that he split his shirt open, scattering buttons and revealing his strapped-up chest. Creon-Chris rapidly pulled himself together in a way that felt so much the character rather than the actor trying to protect his dignity. Chris was convincing to the majority of us, to the point of forgetting it was him rather than Creon, though one of us did think “Creon was mediocre”.

Later in the play a messenger, played by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith has to inform Creon’s wife Eurydice – Zoë Aldrich – of her son’s fate. This was such an emotive interaction both by the informer and the mother. It reminded me of several scene-elements in Shakespeare in which one character is giving news of, or experiences of another character that we never see. It obviously disobeys the playwriting rule of show not tell, and yet when the mother’s reaction is this important and this well performed it is a more poignant choice.

Many different choices were made this time in performance, in particular by Chris Eccleston. Even though playing a tense character, he seemed more relaxed and in tune with the process, as were the rest of the cast, maybe taking his lead and all going with the process – still split in their views but more connected in their delivery.

The entire audience seemed to sense the piece on this occasion. Creon got many laughs – some maybe in shock - in particular with his “These women are neurotic”. How familiar is that to many of us, perhaps more so as women, from men who don’t seem to have time for feelings and are in positions where they are obliged to put matters of state or work before family and relationships. Of course it can also reflect differences between men and women in any case in matters of the head or heart. I suppose what was sad and disappointing about this version of the play and what it brought up was there seemed to be little anger, sadness or even indignation from the audience. Antigone and her sister Ismene (Annabel Scholey) are facing death at this point and yet we don’t feel it’s as catastrophic or final as that. This piece almost feels more like a black comedy than a tragedy.

With all the fatalities and Creon’s anguished cry of “I am nothing” at the end, we ‘ought’ to feel how absolutely devastating this all is. But I still did not. And this time I was sitting in a really good seat to see everything. I hate to say it – yes I promise Chris Eccleston remains one of my greatest stage-loves – but at that point I didn’t feel a truly broken man, but someone acting that and in a few minutes he’ll be out of character and smiling at curtain call. And so he did to deservedly enthusiastic applause from the audience. And this time also the actors returned for a second time, led by Christopher and Jodie alone for a few moments, before welcoming back the rest of the cast, with a big smile on Chris’ face as he checks both sides that everyone is together before leading the bows.

I’d like to give – oh gosh this sounds like an acceptance speech and it so isn’t ;) – a final shout out to Michael Grady-Hall, who performs for longest in this production, as he patiently watched the monitor showing the progress of the battle between Antigone’s brothers, and makes notes on what he sees – a reflection of The Lives of Others.

This was for sure “better than staying in with Columbo”.

P.S. At this point in many of my reviews I am giving my experience of the theatre itself – this I have already done with The National Olivier Theatre. But I would like to write a little about Chris himself. And at this point Chris feels more appropriate than Christopher. As you may have gathered from some of my previous Restricted Reviews I enjoy meeting the actors afterwards at the stage door and as themselves – or maybe I should say as much of themselves as they are able to regain having lent much to their character. I have encountered Christopher a few times. Understandably ‘outside’ he has been a little closed off in a kind-of public-persona. I can fully empathise with that. This time, after one of his Antigone performances, I felt I was meeting Chris. He was relaxed, charming, appreciative and funny. He took in comments about the production, thanked us and said he’d pass them on to the rest of the cast. He cheerily joked with myself and a friend about the process of autograph-signing and photo-taking and made sure that everyone got their turn and all they wanted from the experience. A generous, kind-hearted gent!

Antigone – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2012

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‘Antigone’ Preview - National Olivier Theatre - Wednesday 23rd May 2012

(Rated 3/5 )

I absolutely longed to give this production a higher score. I do wonder if I went in with massively high expectations, which simply could not be satisfied. Why so much expectation? Well the play itself is a classic – probably one of the most famous of the Ancient Greek Tragedies – the power and impact of which is enduring as it addresses issues that remain with us today: Conflicts between the state and the individual, dictatorships, authority full of perhaps high IQ but controlling rigidity that will not allow any emotional intelligence through - leading to battles between legal laws and laws of the heart, law in dispute with morality, familial love set against a father or uncle’s need to dominate, male versus female in a society in which the former merits more than the latter… the head versus the heart. And in this particular production one of my favourite actors, whom I have longed to see on stage more – and so has he longed to be ;) – following his many wonderfully powerful screen performances, Christopher Eccleston. I think I have been spoiled by seeing many superb productions in recent times so I have become quite demanding! Or perhaps Ancient Greek Tragedy does not work for me ;).

The plot surrounds an issue of burial. Brothers Eteocles and Polynices, sons of Oedipus and his mother/wife Jocasta, have killed each other in battle. The new King Creon has decreed that Eteocles be respected as a hero, but Polynices condemned as a traitor. This means that the latter cannot be buried. Antigone, sister to both, wishes to bury Polynices. If she does so and is discovered her punishment will be death.

Polly Findlay's production of the play is set in our contemporary time. The male characters are dressed in the main in suits – I was hoping for togas – and Antigone - played by Jodie Whittaker - and sister Ismene – Annabel Scholey – in dresses. The set is a cold/stark/dark room full of offices in which are a multitude of desks, office chairs and numerous staff. It swivels round to reveal an outside wall.

Don Taylor’s play script, adapted from the original by Sophocles, contains numerous orations from both sides of the argument, which to me felt somehow disconnected. I wonder, however, if that was how plays were produced at the time – each actor going to the front of the stage and delivering his part as though in monologue, and then the next had a turn. I don’t mean that the arguments themselves were disengaged or did not follow on from each other, but I felt a lack of connection between the actors. And I honestly can’t put my finger on what wasn’t working for me. Jodie Whittaker did come from the heart. And Christopher Eccleston strongly from the power-crazed Creon – he was believable as a harsh, willful dictator. And I suppose these characters are not supposed to connect so that would make sense. However, I think what was lacking for me is I didn’t feel them really challenging each other. I wanted more! It was as though they were committed to their own sides of the argument, but not to convincing the other person. More pressure and battering needed J. This was a preview – in fact the very first night of previews – so I am sure that will develop. Perhaps on a first night actors are a little careful. I would also say there were a few structural problems in the play itself – again may come from the original author. Numerous supporting cast whom we don’t really get to know – I imagine these are the chorus of Ancient Greek Tragedy. But Creon’s son’s mother is introduced so late in the piece and has only one scene effectively. I missed seeing her relationship with Creon and son. There again, how important was a woman in those days? Antigone herself in fact has a relatively small part considering she is the title role. The main character is Creon and the story is his process and possible transformation. And does he transform? I won’t give the game away. In fact the game wasn’t given away to me either – I was unfortunately in a seat to which Christopher’s back was turned in a crucial scene towards the end so missed the emotion.

There is so much potential in this and I am sure it will be realised as they progress towards the end of the run. I look forward to that J.

Antigone – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2012

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