Staging Sophocles’ 2,500-year-old Greek tragedy Antigone sounds like too tall an order for most youth theatre companies.
But it’s a measure of the quality to be found at the Perth Theatre-based Perth Youth Theatre that a perfectly enjoyable job is made of this slimmed-down 70-minute version.
With help from professionals, including director Jordan Blackwood and designer Jen McGinley, the 30-strong teenage company tells the story of the Theban princess Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, whose brother Polynices died leading one side in a recent civil war to rule Thebes.
The new ruler Creon has decreed Polynices’ body must remain on the battlefield as a warning to others, and that anyone who buries him will do so on pain of death.
Antigone defies his orders and buries her brother, earning a death sentence – which Creon mercilessly decides to enforce, despite Antigone being engaged to his son Haemon.
At the head of the ensemble are some really stand-out performances, especially Ruby Vass as a dignified Antigone, whose lines are delivered with power and precision.
And Igor Książak magnificently captured King Creon’s measured regalness, self-righteous tyranny and misogyny.
Both of these actors give professional-level performances, as does Jenni Brown as Creon’s wife Eurydice, while mention must also go to confident performances from Niamh Aisha Hebdon as Antigone’s sister Ismene (the actor also contributes a beautiful sung interlude) and Zachary Macleod as Haemon.
‘Simple but very atmospheric’
Sixteen other members of the ensemble, meanwhile, form a chorus whose voices fill in parts of the story, give context to the action and even vocalise the rustle of sand falling on Polynices’ body, while creating a large physical presence onstage.
Unsurprisingly there’s little comedy in this famous tragedy, but Toni Ciobanu and especially Flynn Watts have fun as the watchmen delivering the news of Antigone’s actions while fearing Creon’s wrath.
Big drums on either side of the stage are pounded for effect, and McGinley and lighting designer Cameron Squires’ stark, hovering lightbox, which lowers to envelope Creon at the end, is simple but very atmospheric.
Everyone involved in Perth Youth Theatre should be pleased with how well they’ve managed to tackle a tricky classic.
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