Transcending History and the World, a Tale of Honor and Beliefs, Eternally Retold from an Actor's Perspective

Being in Antigone was a bit of an experience as an actor and a critic, having to work up close and personal with a play I’ve been charged to analyze. Of course, interacting with the design elements personally is a far more different experience than observing them from an audience’s perspective, as being an actor in the play afforded me much more time to probe and dissect the ins and outs of the production. There were many aspects of design that really stood out in the play, made it unique, significant.

The costumes had a bit of a unique touch, as this adaptation of Antigone is a more modern retelling, the costumes also seemed to be a bit more contemporary as compared to its ancient Greek counterpart. Walking around in uniforms and pants is quite different than being dressed in togas and high laced sandals; it totally affected how one would carry themselves, as a change in period would also mean a change in posture. Though, the costumes that didn’t seem to fit were the costumes of the Chorus and the Messenger. The Chorus wore a beige trenchcoat with sewn blue adornments, while the Messenger wore a blue hoodie and jogging pants, both with sewn red adornments. The play was meant to be more modern, but these two character’s costumes really didn’t seem to fit the style of the others. Upon closer analysis, these two characters were meant to be out of place, as the two were actually implements of Creon’s rationale and emotions. Only Creon was able to speak with the two, and no one else, besides Creon and the Messenger, talked with the Chorus. The costumes were simple, yet unique, and if one were able to detect the subtext, a more powerful impact would be made.

The flooring and pillars added an interesting effect to the play, along with it being in-the-round. The marbled floor seemed to be cracked and bleeding, it seemed to depict the wear and tear on the minds of Antigone and Creon, putting a foreboding and disturbing vibe in the atmosphere. Even the echo of the footsteps made on the floor had their own effect; intensity was felt in silent moments, alone with the echoes. The pillars seemed to frame each of the four sides and corners of the stage, making a sort of “faux proscenium”. When an actor traveled to one side or corner of the stage, that portion seemed to be highlighted by the actor’s presence, letting the audience focus their attention on that emphasized section of the “round”.

This play really seemed to be all about striking moods in the audience though many of its design elements, a big element that was used was the theme music. Brilliantly, the music was originally scored to the specifics of the script. It took the actors a while to synch up their monologues with the flow of the music, but when they were able to match their emotions with the appropriate section of the song, feeding off of the synchronization, the mood was able to be magnified.

Although I didn’t get to play such a huge part in the play, I did enjoy my time offstage, being able to see, up close and personal, the reasons and effects behind each and every design element. It may be a bit difficult for some to see it because they haven’t spent so much time engrossed in this production, but all the audience has to do is keep their eyes and ears open to see beyond simple aspects and truly appreciate the elements that this piece of theatre provides.

~ Chris McVey