Written by Sophocles, adapted by Merlynn Tong and directed by Travis Dowling
A successful adaptation of an Ancient Greek tragedy, exploring the intricacies between ideology and morals through family relationships in a politically inflamed society
There is the old adage that you can’t reinvent the wheel. However, you can adapt it to suit a change in expectations and that was the mission of Merlynn Tong and Queensland Theatre who have successfully modernised Sophocles’ Ancient Greek tragedy with a feminist twist. Set in a dystopian society with incestuous torrid affairs, violence and suicide, and peppered with mother-in-law jokes, the Greek tragedy could have been from an episode of Neighbours or Home and Away.
The scene is set outside the blood streaked walls of the royal palace at Thebes, an ominous black coffin sits centre stage and the lighting is dark and ominous, hail the classic setting for a Greek tragedy. Sophocles’ classic Antigone is the third of a series of three Theban plays written around 442BCE about the maligned King Oedipus who sired Antigone and three other children with his own mother, Jocasta, giving rise to Freud’s Oedipal complex theory. Merlynn Tong, Matilda and Lord Mayor’s Award winning Brisbane playwright has adapted the 2,500 year old play to be just as fresh and apt to a modern audience.
Antigone (Jessica Tovey: Twelfth Night; Constellations) is devastated by the death of her two brothers who caused the civil war whilst vying to rule Thebes. The character Creon (Christen O’Leary: Twelfth Night; Scenes from a Marriage), has been bravely adapted from Antigone’s Uncle to Aunt. Creon grasps the power as first female ruler of Thebes and demands that one brother, Eteocles is declared as a hero with a state funeral, whilst the other brother is deemed a traitor, whose desecrated body is exhibited for all to see. Sister Antigone, a young idealist, risks her life to rebel and rescue and bury Polynices, with dignity, causing the wrath of Creon and her ultimate demise due to the decree of absolute state law.
Poor Ismene (Shubshri Kandiah: The Pearlfishers; Aladdin), the fourth sibling becomes embroiled in Antigone’s defiance and is set to also suffer at the hand of the tyrant Creon. Haemon (Kevin Spink: Hydra; Twelfth Night), Antigone’s cousin and betrothed, begs his mother Creon to spare his beloved head-strong Antigone and to relinquish her tyrannical obsession with power to ill-effect.
The bold adaptation by Tong of Creon as the first female leader of Thebes, juxtaposes Creon’s need to present as a strong and ruthless leader, whilst struggling with her motherly instincts towards her niece and son. The ruthless tyrant, played convincingly as a dynamic and arrogant woman by O’Leary, inevitably chooses badly, despite advice from the aged braggart and seer Tirecias (Penny Everingham: Pygmalion; The Crucible). A fabulous arrogant quote “I pity the woman who bears incompetent children!”, introduced some light comedy to the tragic tale and highlighted how a mother’s role can be compromised through societal pressures.
The set designed by Vilma Mattila was lit sparingly by Ben Hughes. It was stark yet impressively versatile, boasting a two-levelled castle wall with a grand balcony and moving doors to effectively recreate new scenes, with poignant and dramatic special effects. The tragedy could have been set in any era or city, further aiding the modernisation of the ancient Greek tragedy.
The usual role of the Greek chorus was replaced by interludes of chorus from the powerful operatic voice of Shubshri Kandiah, debuting as Ismene, Antigone’s righteous law-fearing sister. The most intriguing parts of the play were the banter and rhetoric between Creon and her son showing arguments between families have not changed, only the context. Despite being an argument about Haemon’s mother, Creon condemning his betrothed cousin to death over a man (woman)-made law, it could easily have been in the context of him arguing over being grounded for not cleaning his room. The reuniting of Christen O’Leary and Jessica Tovey after their symbiotic pairing in Twelfth Night was also satisfying and successful.
Queensland Theatre with writer Merlynn Tong and director Travis Dowling have successfully adapted a classic to update the issues of Ancient Greece to the 21st Century, exploring the intricacies between ideology and morals through family relationships in a politically inflamed society.
Billie Brown Theatre, Brisbane
26th Oct-16th November, 2019
Dr Gemma Regan