Fringe Show Reviews

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Antigone

Written by: Sophocles

Presented by: This Reality Theatre, Winnipeg, MB

Venue 21: Rudolf Rocker Cultural Centre

Our Rating: Your Average Rating:

07/22/2012 3:40 PM | Comments: 0

In ancient Greece, a brother’s body lies unburied by the king’s command; in civil defiance, a sister places her life in that same king’s hands. Spoiler alert: it ends in tragedy, as was the style at the time.

It’s tough to tackle the classics in the freewheeling fringe, and the usual pitfalls sometimes trap this faithful retelling of Sophocles’ 2,600-year-old play. The show’s 75 minutes occasionally drag, and Winnipeg’s Little Light Theatre shies away from adventurous tweaks that might have lifted Antigone’s larger themes of justice and power into the modern day.

Still, the earnest young cast make this one worth it, as they confidently bring the tensions of Thebes to life — especially Arthur MacKinnon, who dominates the stage (and his peons) as King Creon.

— Melissa Martin

From the Fringe program:

After her brothers Eteocles and Polynices kill each other in a tragic battle, only Eteocles is properly laid to rest. Defending Polynices' right, Antigone performs a suitable burial and is arrested by Creon, the newly appointed King of Thebes. The final sentence: death. Her husband Haemon, her sister Ismene and the prophet Teiresias beg Creon to release Antigone, but will their pleas save her from both the law and from herself?

A timeless adaptation of one of Sophocles' greatest tragedies.

Recommended For: General Audience

Length: 75 min

Tickets: $10

History

Updated on Sunday, July 22, 2012 at 3:40 PM CDT:
Adds review

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