ANTIGONE

HAVING JUST RETURNED FROM MY THEATRE WATCH FOR THE NIGHT I THOUGHT I'D DO A QUICK REVIEW. 

ANTIGONE BEGINS WITH A GREAT OPENING SCENE THAT REALY THROWS YOU IN WITHOUT ANY WARNING. UNFORTUNATELY THIS SCENE IS FOLLOWED BY TWO VERY DULL ONES THAT DON'T QUITE WORK AS THEIR PURPOSE SERVES TO KEEP YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE PLOT AND NOTHING ELSE. THE SECOND OF THESE SCENES PRESENTS THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON AS CREON. I BELIEVE ECCLESTON IS AN EXCELLANT ACTOR BUT HAVING NEVER SEEN HIM ON STAGE I WAS TOTALLY UNAWARE THAT HE HAS ABSOLUTELY NO STAGE PRESENCE. HE DELIVERS HIS LINES PLAINLY AND IS COMPLETELY OVERSHADOWED BY ALL THE OTHER ACTORS, EVEN THE ONES WITH MINOR ROLES. THE BIGGEST SHADOW HOWEVER BELONGS TO JODIE WHITTAKER WHO PLAYS THE PART OF ANITGONE BRILLIANTLY AND I MIGHT EVEN GO SO FAR AS SAYING SHE SAVES THE PLAY. UNLUCKILY FOR ECCLESTON WHITTAKER DOES EVERYTHING THAT HE DOESN'T, HER VOICE QUIVERS WITH REAL EMOTION, SHE FORCES YOU TO HEAR HER AND EMPATHISE WITH HER, SHE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE. ANOTHER FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE IS GIVEN BY JAMIE BALLARD IN THE ROLE OF THE BLIND PROPHET TEIRESIAS. BALLARD PLAYS UP TO THE CLICHE OF THE DISFIGURED PROPHET, TWITCHING, HUNCHED AND VULNERABLE ONLY TO SHATTER THIS IN AN OUTBURST OF ANGER. THIS CHANGE IN CHARACTER SHOOK ME TO MY CORE, THE HAIRS MY NECK STOOD ON END, TEIRESIAS WAS A BAD ASS AND KING CREON WAS GETTING SERVED!  

THIS PLAY IS VERY ENTERTAINING AND THE SET IS AWESOME, REMINISCENT OF THE GOOD SEASONS OF LOST OR A NOT SO PERFECT MAD MEN OFFICE. MOST OF THE ACTING IS FANTASTIC AND THE ADAPTATION OF ANTIGONE ONTO STAGE IS VERY WELL DONE. IT PAINS ME TO SAY THAT THE ONLY THING THAT LETS IT DOWN IS CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON, BUT EVEN SO I WOULD WATCH IT AGAIN AND I KNOW I WOULD STILL ENJOY IT. 

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