Antigone

Well I can't say I agree with the other reviewers and maybe the audience of which I was part were fortunate in the production we saw but what came across very clearly in a powerful way was the argument about state control and I can think of a number of politicians who might benefit from seeing it

Well I can't say I agree with the other reviewers and maybe the audience of which I was part were fortunate in the production we saw but what came across very clearly in a powerful way was the argument about state control and I can think of a number of politicians who might benefit from seeing it

Horrible mishmash.

Er, yes, this is tragic. Epically awful. I'm afraid that the director has totally failed to get to grips with the challenge of this play. The result is lots of static, remote, arms-folded hysterical running through the lines like they're dragging the actors at an uncontrolable and unvaried pace. There's no subtlety, variation or meaning and on several occasions when the whole audience laughed (in places you're not supposed to laugh) you could see that everyone was grateful to briefly relieve the pain. Personally I laughed a lot, but tried to be as quiet as I could. The key moments were robbed if their significance, the whole was excruciating. But my favourite bit was imagining the backstage conversation that started with the director saying. "we need something more here" and Christopher Eccleston (don't judge him on this performance alone) replying "don't worry, I'm still mates with the make-up bloke from Dr Who."

Oh dear. Let's get this out of the way first - the script was dreadful, woefully inadequate for its updated staging. The chorus lines ahd clearly been randomly assigned to the small parts, who would inexplicably swing from fawning toadies to loudly castigating the king. Creon has a ridiculous number of lines, declaiming at length every five minutes on his favourite subject: the sanctity of the state. The problem is, the updated staging invalidated Creon's position fairly early on, which ensured that the audience felt no sympathy for him throughout, which defeats the point somewhat. Creon is presented as a dictator, endlessly harping on about the importance of respecting the law. As an ancient king, that works - the king is the physical embodiment of the state, and anyone defying his laws is challenging his authority to be king. As a modern dictator, it's bewildering.

Here is where the second major problem crops up: even with a weak script, strong direction could have pulled it through. Unfortunately, the play is all one note. The energy levels are all wrong. Creon starts off fairly convivial, but quickly becomes menacing by proxy. The actors seemed to remember mid-way through a speech that there were supposed to be out of breath, or hurt, and start panting. Creon is rapidly wired up to max volume and max rage, and kept there until the end. Meanwhile, parts with no lines (did Eurydice get a single line before being told of her son's death?) walk on, get very high energy very quickly, and leave just as quickly. By the end, with everyone blood-spattered, the actors - and the audience, who had been shifting uncomfortably in their seats for some time - were exhausted.

There were some good points. Jodie Whittaker gave a sympathetic performance as Antigone, and her few speeches were well delivered and thoughtful. Teiresias was very interesting, and his physical presence impressive. Chistopher Ecclestone, although woefully mis-used and mis-directed, delivered some lovely moments of pathos, particularly with his scene with Teiresias and his final exit, walking wearily around the stage, smeared with blood. The set itself was nicely done, the clear lines of the office nicely referencing a temple.

Ultimately, though, this didn't save the play from feeling overly-long at a mere 1hr 40mins (I looked at my watch several times), and inspiring fits of the giggles every time Creon was forced, yet again, to declaim to the back of the auditorium. When your audience doesn't care about the fate of any of the characters, there is clearly something going very wrong.

Not recommended.

This was my first visit to the National, I have wanted to go for a long time but could never get tickets so when this came out and was part of the Travelex I was very excited. I had no expectations, I am not a critic or theatre person but knew the two leads and how great they are so thought this would be a good introduction.
I read the story beforehand and loved the setting of the play. The set was wonderful and I was instantly drawn in the first two scenes. Antigone was northern which was brilliant - I was worried it would be traditional and I wouldn't get it but the modern setting was great - you could see it was as relevanttoday as it was back then. I didn't quite get how some people were broad northern, some posh southern and I wasn't sure about Creon's accent - I could see a touch of Blair in there but it wavered somewhat and I think he should have stuck to a strong northern accent (surely if you all grow up in the same family in the same town you would all have the same accent?). Anyway that distracted me (maybe people do this in theatre and I am being stupid?) to not believeing. Antigone was excellent - I believed in her but not really the others. I am sure most people know this story but at the end when all has been destroyed you would just expect more passion and insanity - a total breakdown and it just didn't seem to get there, I didn't really care.
Anyway I wanted to share this as the national is wonderful and everyone should go - keep an eye out for the £12 tickets you can get them if you get in early enough! It should be for everyone and it wasn't intimidating at all. The play was ok but I had hoped to be totally knocked off my feet. It was a preview so they still work on it so it may be better when they 'open' (?). Maybe the theatre isn't like that. But I will go again and get my mates too as well.