Director: Peter Goessner, Chikako Omomo
Institution: Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music, Japan
Venue: North Theatre
Time: 16:30-17:30, May 21, 2014
Event: The 1st World Theatre Education Convention with 3rd Asian Theatre Schools Festival
Director’s Notes
To play a very old play in our current situation in Japan after the earthquake and the big problems in Fukushima, we decided to try a modern approach. It could be that Antigone is a play in our contemporary time, with a feminine confident Antigone. On the other hand, we was not only interested in a modern play, much more in an expression, where we care about the fight from matriarchy against patriarchy or the “man`s world”, we are still living in. In our play, the older matriarchy behavoir of Antigone and Ismene seems modern and human. This behavior will be finally joined by Haimon and Creon too; against the technical perfectionism of the camera spying world of Theresias, against the pressure coming from being watched and controlled from everywhere.
Synopsis
After Oedipus death, it was decided that the two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices were to reign over Thebes taking turns. Eteocles, however, did not want to give away his power causing Polynices to leave Thebes to set up an army. In the final fight against Thebes, the two brothers kill each other. After the event, Creon declares that, as punishment, Polynices` body must be left on the plain outside the city to rot and eaten by animals. Eteocles, on the other hand, had been buried as tradition warranted.
Antigone determines this to be unjust, immoral and against the law of gods, and is determined to bury her brother regardless of Creon`s law. She attempts to persuade her sister Ismene to join her, but fails. Antigone buries her brother by herself; eventually Creon`s Guards discover this and capture her. Antigone is brought before Creon, where she declares that she knew Creon`s law but chose to break it, expounding upon the superiority of `divine law` to that made by man. She defies his arguments, provoking his wrath and punishment.
Running Time: about 60-70 minutes