“The Thing is Catching” – Antigone and RUHS Drama’s Success

Think back to freshman year. Remember Western Civilization? And Oedipus? As I attended the RUHS Cast of Thousands November 18^th production of Antigone, I kept in mind that tragedy we read about a man who was fated to kill his father and sleep with his own mother, and who fathered children with her – including Antigone herself. As a sequel to Oedipus, Antigone is about the daughter of that unfortunate man. She relinquishes life itself in order to defend the honor of her brother, Polynices, who fought to the death with their brother, Eteocles. Both men killed each other in the battle for the throne. Oedipus’ power hungry brother-in-law, Creon, was left to rule Thebes and immediately decreed that Eteocles’ body was to be buried with “pomp and honors” while the body of Polynices was to be left out to rot – and anyone who tried to bury it would be sentenced to death themselves. As the white-robed chorus aptly puts it, “It is against this blasphemy that Antigone rebels.”

James Anouilh adapted the version of the classic tragedy by Sophocles we saw the Cast of Thousands perform, and it successfully attempted to refashion the language into a more understandable and more modern dialect. This simple rewriting transformed Antigone dramatically, and I found it incredibly easy to understand the plot. This, together with the remarkable performances of the cast and the flawless design of the set and lighting, made the Cast of Thousands show incredibly absorbing.

I was fortunate enough to see the Friday cast, with Cara Leverenz as Antigone, James Miscione as Creon, Trevor Bigelow as Haemon (Creon’s son and Antigone’s fiancé), and Kaylee Goettel as Ismene, Antigone’s sister. And of course, no one who saw it can forget Owen Green (otherwise known as Mrs. Green’s 7-year-old son!) as the Page.

Highlights: Cara’s flawless and moving performance as the sad and proud Antigone, James shouting, Creon slapping Antigone, the awesomely designed lighting (especially when the Chorus was acting out the past), the comic relief of the First Guard (played by Eli Giclas), the nicely and convincingly designed costumes, the almost ethereal-looking Chorus (with their white masks), the perfectly played-out chemistry between Antigone and Haemon, James playing a startlingly cruel Creon, the interesting scenery (the piles of junk looked like they had been fun to create), and of course, the very exciting performance by Owen, which made every one in the audience go “Awwwww”.

Favorite quotes: “The whole world was grey when I went out. And now – you wouldn’t  believe it. It’s like a postcard, all pink and green and yellow” –Antigone

“The whole world was breathless, waiting” –Antigone

“I mustn’t be a little girl today” –Antigone

“We’ll be driven in a tumbril through their hatred, through the smell of them and their cruel roaring laughter” –Ismene

“Oh, my beloved – I’m going to cause you such a lot of pain” –Antigone

“Jonas, that’s me – that’s my name” –First Guard, Jonas

“I broke the back of the rebellion; but like a snake, it is coming together again” –Creon

“The silence inside you when the roaring crowd acclaims the winner – you, the victor, already vanquished, alone in the desert of your silence. That is tragedy” –Chorus

“I turned my back for about five seconds and there she is, clawing away like a hyena” –First Guard

“Had I been a scullery maid washing my dishes when that law was read aloud to me, I should have scrubbed the greasy water from my arms and gone out in my apron to bury my brother” –Antigone

“Nothing less than a cozy tea-party with death and destiny will quench your thirst” –Creon

“…it isn’t all beer and skittles” –Creon

“And don’t annihilate me with those eyes” –Creon

“You must want very much to die. You look like a trapped animal” –Creon

“Now you are squeezing my arm too tightly.  It doesn’t hurt anymore” –Antigone

“The thing that drops when you shoot may be someone who poured you a drink the night before; but it has no name. And you, braced at the wheel, you have no name, either” –Creon

“It is easy to say no, even if saying no means death” –Creon

“Oh, what a king you could make, Creon, if only men were animals!” –Antigone

“I had the prettier of the two carcasses brought in, and gave it a state funeral; and I left the other to rot. I don’t know which is which. And I assure you, I don’t care” –Creon

“What are the unimportant little sins that I shall have to commit before I am allowed to sink my teeth into life and tear happiness from it?” –Antigone

“I spit on your idea of happiness!” –Antigone

“I am master under the law. Not above the law” –Creon

“She never struck a pose and waited for me to admire her. Mirrors meant nothing to her. She never looked at herself. She looked at me, and expected me to be somebody. And I was – when I was with her” –Haemon

“It’s you, is it? (…)The last human face that I shall see” –Antigone

“The boyfriend, eh?” –First Guard

“It must be good to sleep” –Creon

“The gods take a hand in every game, Creon. Even in politics.” –Chorus

“…other Antigones have arisen like a clarion call…” –Chorus

Photo credit goes to Natalia Navarro

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