Honorable Heroine Battles Narcissistic Tyrant in UMD's Antigone
Sheryl Jensen
Duluth News Tribune
September 29, 2017
Oh, those clever ancient Greeks and their timeless wisdom...
With his profound understanding of the human condition, prescient playwright Sophocles was able to speak through the ages, "knowing" that the moral clashes between the powers of the state and the rights of the individual would still be front and center in a far-off land in the year 2017.
Directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, the University of Minnesota Duluth theater department's production of Antigone, hits hard with enduring images of a lone, powerful woman standing her ground with a domineering man in a power suit towering above her.
King Creon's niece Antigone (Tolu Ekisola) begs for the right to bury the body of her traitor brother. Creon (Ryan Richardson) steadfastly refuses and sentences her to death when she defiantly takes the law into her own hands and buries her brother herself.
Ekisola elegantly portrays the nobility, integrity and determination of this iconic freedom fighter. Her passionate final confrontation with Creon before going off to her death is shattering, as she says she will die "unjustly, for upholding justice and the humanity of humankind."
Richardson is convincing as the charismatic leader who refuses to believe that his rigidity will set the world around him on such a savage path. He is most powerful in the final scene when Creon laments the deaths of those closest to him and is finally brought to his knees by the devastating impact of what his tyrannical actions have wrought.
Playing the tragic Ismene, sister of the doomed Antigone, Lauren Hugh vividly portrays the crushing effect on the innocent when events roll mercilessly over her as she watches the doomed path of her beloved sister.
The supporting cast of Chorus members is strong, with a few standout performances. Amanda Hennen, as Teiresias, the blind prophet and truth teller, commands the stage entirely as she ominously warns of the Furies to come for Creon and the country when the inevitable retribution will befall them. Her lamentation, "Are there any wise men left? Anywhere?" is one of the evening's strongest thematic moments.
As the soldier who serves as a messenger, Luke Harger provides both the brief comic relief and the crushing impact of the tragic events he reports to Creon and the senators in some of the production's strongest scenes.
Leah Benson-Devine's simple set, with two opposing platforms, stylized pillars, a single chair and a few wooden blocks, gives the actors the space to let the story swirl around the audience.
Music composed by UMD senior William Brueggemann — used during the pre-show, intermission and as underscore — enhances the dark tone of scenes in subtle but effective ways.
Dan Fitzpatrick's projected film images, using powerful war and burial scenes, and Laura Piotrowski's modern dress costumes help connect the play's timeless themes with the audience.
The play's reverberating message of the real Creons still in our midst serves as a cautionary tale from commentators who can only report and warn of the inevitable tragedies to come but are powerless to change them.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteShawna Spiry
October 3rd, 2017
The dramatic comedy Antigone directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks blew my expectations out of the water. I am not much of a person to see shows that I have never heard of, I know I should be even more intrigued if I have never heard of them, but after hearing rave reviews I knew I needed to see it. I actually had the great opportunity to be a volunteer usher for this show and it was amazing how fast I was welcomed in by the house staff.
As soon as the show started these amazing images from war and the actors running to and from the stage were shown, it was very powerful and striking start. It made me want more. The first two characters on stage, Antigone and Ismene played by Tolu Ekisola and Lauren Hugh, set the show in motion perfectly. The sister love and hate relationship was so well portrayed. Ekisola was able to find the correct balance between caring for her sister and staying strong in what she needed to do. Hugh brought a slight light to the show, even though her innocence is crushed by the ugly fait given to her sister, that I drew me in every time she entered the stage.
A character that commanded my attention was the almighty Creon, played by Ryan Richardson. Richardson demanded the stage and yet was able to show a subtle bit of softness the first time his son enters the stage, but soon his anger grows back once he defies him. Richardson played the perfect villain-like character and did a wonderful job at keeping the audience engaged.
The supporting cast did an outstanding job at keeping engaged in the scenes they were in. Specifically, Luke Harger, was not afraid to make “normal human movements” such as fixing his tie our shuffling his feet. I appreciated the sense of reality it added.
During intermission, I really took the time to notice Leah Benson-Deine’s beautifully designed set, It was the perfect setup for such a high level and quality show. The simplistic design allowed the audience to take it in so many different directions and for them think and put details about the show together on our own. That is the true magic of theatre coming to life through the connection of audience and stage.
Overall, this show portrayed the timeless story of a powerless woman standing up to the most powerful man for what she knows is right. The use of quotes from past women activists were used perfectly and freely. I loved the performance from start to finish and will not soon forget it.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteAlex Bandt
October 4th, 2017
If you’re looking for a timeless story with themes relevant to today, Antigone has it.
From the point of an audience member, the set and stage bring you into the play. The actors are incredibly accustomed to looking upon and into the audience members. This breaking-of-the-fourth-wall isn’t tacky, like most are. It gives way to a more important idea; that the people are always looking for that answer the king and senate are supposed to provide.
While most of the time, this benefits the performance, there are a few times it hampers the performance. And, at no fault of the actors. With seating on either side of the stage, at one point in the show, someone in the audience won’t be able to see what’s happening. Sometimes these perfect lines get made where you won’t be able to see the entirety of the shot.
Every actor in this production did a fantastic job. They all clearly put an insane amount of work into Antigone, and it paid off. A few performers appearances made the scenes that much more impactful.
Throughout the entire play, Ryan Richardson, or Creon, is prevalent even when he is offstage. The way his voice resonates through the tiny theatre sends chills down your spine when you listen to him speak of the law.
Luke Harger’s performance as a soldier delivering ill news offers the audience a brief chance to laugh before the entire mood of the play takes a major turn, all in the way that he acts so panicked and jittery, it brings home a much darker fear of Ceron.
Tolu Ekisola as the role of Antigone punches forward an impactful story in the way that she brings passion onto the set. It never sounded like she thought her brothers died on the battlefield, she wholeheartedly believed her brothers were dead.
The supporting roles of the senators allow for the audience to see what is happening all too often today. Where you have something that the population and senators may think is wrong, but don’t want to defy the king. From about the middle of the first act, you can tell that the senators side with Antigone, but cannot admit that for fear that they would lose their livelihood.
The music composed by William Brueggemann allows the entire theatre to have a dark undertone to an already depressing story. This, mixed with Dan Fitzpatrick's film images server as a way to connect the ancient play to a more contemporary piece.
If this is the quality to expect from Stage 2 moving forward, I’d be happy to oblige them at their next performances.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteEthan Peterson
October 4th
I attended Antigone on Thursday the 28th. This play was written by a Greek play writer, Sophocles. I thought it was interesting since it was my first experience watching a live play. There was good substance to it and overall, the acting was a lot better than I imagined. The acting was also very dramatic which was necessary to the tragic tone of the story. The stage was set up very close to the audience which created a different experience than I would have pictured in a large auditorium. It also did not have many different sets or changes which I thought would affect the story negatively. The minimalistic set didn’t seem to make it less believable like I thought it would have when I first saw it. There were only a few actors and some took on more than one role throughout the play. The actors’ abilities to show different personalities however, helped distract from their previous roles from minutes before. It was set in a more modern war time rather than in ancient times, where this was originally made. Setting the scene with more modern figures such as senators, and including technology and weapons along with photo slides from the current wars we have today, made the play more relatable. Although the modern references put the time analogy into perspective, seeing it acted out in a setting that matched the language and values it was written during could have made it more interesting to watch. I liked that they added some humor to the story, it helped lighten the mood at times where things were getting so dark. As we watched, I noticed that stubbornness and the need to be honorable seemed to run in the family that this story is centered around. Two brothers murdered each other fighting for separate sides. Antigone was willing to die to bury her traitor brother. Ismene tried to lie just to look noble to the senators and her sister. Creon was just simply a greedy brother, father and king. During those times, honor was everything to not only families in general, but for royal families as well. Looking at the premise of the story now, all the “acts of honor” and the sad, tragic deaths, seem sort of ridiculous and hard to comprehend. Our values through time have changed so drastically that it doesn’t seem as realistic as it would have been watching the performance during those times.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteMichael Antone
October 4th
I attended the October 4th show, I was left by otter shock and realization of an ancient Greek play, that i was totally uninformed of, I felt the need to want more, and research more. The play was a tragic, with highlighted with moments of stubbornness, comedic relief, and sudden shock. It was an emotional roller-coaster, that reached its climax at the end. The story showed the flexibility as well as the skill of a few individual students (Amanda Hennen, Luke Harger, Cally Stanich, Kevin Dustrude) all taking different roles throughout the play, and executing beautifully. Hennen, played a senator as well as Teiresias the blind, tried to provide Creon with the truth and harsh repercussions that would come if Creon had acted with his dull and stubborn behavior. Harger provided comedic relief as playing a soldier, as well as a senator aiding the mighty Creon. Stanich, provided minimal words as Eurydice, but words were not needed, her expressions and mannerisms did all the talking she needed. Dustrude, played a senator as well as Creon and Eurydice son, Haemon. Who showed growth as a boy, into a man, you could see the change in character throughout and he was fantastic! One thing that really was something I was concerned with was the lack of setting due to the space of the Dudley Theatre. However, this play exceeded that concern from the small theatre provided a unique sound bounce as well as you are no more then 5-10 from the actors at most. It i believe benefited the play, it was a very passionate play that plays to an adult, or more mature audience. The part of the play that really stuck out to me was the performance of Creon portrayed by Ryan Richardson, he was a strong and bold figure that provided a modernized Creon with a business type figure in a modernized setting with senators. Creon was head-strong individual who was left with a fatal decision he made, between a burial of two brothers or lack their of, fighting against each other on different sides. It was a decision made by his "honor and loyalty". I believe the play provided growth of society and our culture over time from ancient Greece, to a modern world now. It was almost like the value of Integrity and Honor, was more important than family back then, and it showed with the emotions of the play and the actions of all of the actors. The main character Antigone (Tolu Ekisola), provided a young women who was not afraid of practically anyone, she stood for morality, and independence, willing to die for her family, and knowingly was not afraid of higher authority, and was often raising her voice which was exceptionally piercing in the Dudley Theatre, who never really showed her love for Haemon, who was ready to marry Antigone, until death did them part. That was the only really unclear part of the play was the lack of affection by Antigone towards Haemon. The clips of the war footage as well footage at the ending provided a great modernized touch to an Ancient Greek Classic! Overall it was a fantastic play, that I recommend to anyone, with a mature viewing, you will not be disappointed!
Antigone
ReplyDeleteTrevor Minor
October 6th
Antigone being performed in the Dudley Experimental Theatre's not the only reason the audience felt so close to the story. Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks took a 2,000 year old story and made it relevant to today's society. A story about state laws and moral values couldn't be more relevant now a days but it could have easily been missed if it wasn't for an amazing cast portraying the story. Tolu Ekisola who played Antigone did an amazing job showing a strong female character stand up for what she believes in even when she'll have to pay with her life, Luke Harger stood out as a hilarious comic relief as a soldier giving bad news in this dark story, and the rest of the cast did an amazing job showing the moral struggle they were in. One performance stood out above the rest, Ryan Richardson portraying Creon did a fantastic job showing a man completely corrupt with power and so stubborn on admitting he's wrong he loses everything. In the climax of the show Creon is brought to his knee's by the site of his dead son and wife showing a man truly driven mad by the site of his dead family and Richardson did an amazing job showing this man driven completely insane. Antigone was performed by an amazing cast but we cannot forget the other half of the production, the crew. Composer William Brueggemann did and excellent job of making the audience feel the dark undertone of the show with his music playing prior and during the show. Costume designer Laura Piotrowski also deserves much credit using more modern costumes like suit coats and ties shows the audience how relevant this story is today in 2017. The decision to incorporate video footage of of death and struggles in a more common era was an excellent choice to make the audience feel the impact of the story. Overall this show was done fantastically with few to no major problems, the cast and crew portrayed amazing chemistry from Antigone and Ismene to Creon and his son. I would recommend anyone to go see the dark drama that causes each audience member to question there choices and morals which is what any good theatre production does, makes you think. The audience left the show silently as they pondered what they had just seen and the cast and crew of Antigone deserve all of the credit.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteJordan King
October 6, 2017
The intention of the play was to provide insight on current social issues through a story that took place in the past. The production accomplished this by uncovering the conflict between the law and religious beliefs. The director Jenna Soleo-Shanks related the issues from the past to what we see today, allowing the audience to relate to the play and apply it to their everyday lives.
The design was well planned as the costumes and the stage didn’t clash. There was a good contrast between the subtle clothing and the patterned stage. The costumes reflected modern day clothing, making it relatable to the audience and present-day conflicts. The stage set-up was well thought out because it allowed the actors to move around freely, enabling them to be more creative with their movements and engagements among each other. The actors used this to their advantage, by using the whole stage. For the most part, the actors used beneficial angles, reaching the whole audience’s view.
Once the war videos played with the tense music, it immediately set the mood and grabbed the audience’s attention. When the actors started running across the stage it became more hectic, making the audience feel on edge pulling them further into the story. Amongst the chaos, it captured the audience’s attention, making them curious as to the rest of the plot.
When Antigone (Tolu Ekisola) and her sister Ismene (Lauren Hugh) come onto the stage, they instantly show how they are complete opposites. Ismene is the kind of person to play it safe and listen to the law. She reveals her emotions and exhibits fear. On the other hand, Antigone shows bravery and courage throughout the entire play. She proves she is willing to stand up for what she believes in. By being so brave and courageous, Antigone was silently preaching how people need to stand up for their beliefs and not fear the law. Antigone was able to draw people in and make everyone on her side, since she was doing what was morally right. Her bravery was inspiring, allowing the audience to think about how women are treated differently than men within the law. She was able to show how being brave and strong can make people a hero in the eyes of ordinary citizens.
The soldier, Luke Harger, lightened the mood from being such a tense play. Throughout the play, the soldier showed his nervousness towards his situations within the law. This made the situation more relatable, since most people would be frightened in his shoes. His nerves could also represent the feelings that ordinary citizens would have around their leaders if they were in a disagreement. Harger represents his nerves as he starts to speak very quickly around Creon.
Ryan Richardson was acting out the role of Creon. He did a great job of making himself the bad guy throughout the play. His emotions were engaging because it drew the audience in. Creon was a very cold and harsh person, but during some parts of the play he shows a soft side. These parts would only last a short while, because he would snap back to reality and become the cold-hearted man who believes he is the law. By the end of the play, he made it clear to the audience he does in fact have human compassion. He became an emotional mess in his realization of his mistakes as a person. This could have been prevented if he would’ve been willing to listen to others opinions, which can be hard for some people to admit they are wrong. Due to this, people in the audience could relate because everyone has their own beliefs and opinions that differ amongst everyone.This can also be a lesson to people to learn from the mistake of Creon and begin to listen to others for help.
Overall, the play was performed wonderfully! The production of the play definitely paid off in the end. It was, for sure, worth it to go see the performance.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteJenny Delage
October 8th, 2017
Antigone cast Thursday night showed up to rock the box. In this tragedy, the intimate crowd was thrown into a different era, whilst still feeling like they were in their own. This ancient play, with the help of director Jenna Soleo-Shanks did a wonderful job of incorporating old world language with new world aspects like technology and dress. The college-aged crowd found connections with this play past technology and clothing, though. One point where her directing skills were very apparent was when she had the senators and their counterparts (Kevin Dustrude, Amanda Hennen, Cally Stanich, Simon VanVactor-Lee, Maggie Thompson, and Bud Gibson) surround Antigone, played by Tolu Ekisola, and with words, one after the other, that exemplified the power of a government. While talking, they all moved into a circle around Antigone that helped show what the suffocating rule of a government of this kind would look like.
What better a person to advocate human rights and women's rights than Tolu Ekisola. She did a beautiful job showing passion in words and in actions. When she and her sister, Ismene, played by Lauren Hugh, share loving embraces, and intense arguments about the rights of humans, dead or alive, you feel the suspense. These two women did a great job of letting the crowd in on their emotions, but not overwhelming the crowd it in the black box setting.
Another person who did a great job of letting us in on his emotions was Creon, played by Ryan Richardson. Throughout this play, he gave the crown every reason to hate him. In this sense, he did a GREAT job at being a convincing Creon. Though, the crowd found themselves mad at Creon most of the play, when he found himself surrounded by the death of his wife and his son, he wept and he pulled the crowd into his sadness.
Along with all the tragedy cam some laughter. It was a great break to have Luke Harger, who played the Soldier, come in and ramble on about why he should not be punished for finding the dead body of Polyneices. He was the comic relief that the crowd needed after being worked up by all the commotion that came behind Antigone breaking the law and the punishments that followed her.
This tragedy was anything but that. It was well-done, well-directed, and well-received.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteAliy Heitman
October 8, 2017
The disputable topic of state versus gods came to light at the compelling production of Antigone on Tuesday night. The powerful, thought-provoking, Greek tragedy showcased the mortality of a young female defying the laws of man to honor her morals engraved by the gods. The Department of Theatre at University of Minnesota Duluth staged a moving performance of Antigone that left the audience in silence at the Marshall Performing Arts Center in the Dudley Experimental Theatre.
Considering the ancient playwright was written over two thousand years ago, the themes and social conflicts between the laws of man and the gods still remained inordinately relevant in this 2017 modern adaptation of Antigone, directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks.
The inspiring and headstrong heroine, Antigone, played by Tolu Ekisola, allowed for the audience to encounter a perspective on life and death that challenged social norms. Ekisola gave an awe-inspiring amount of heart, soul, and emotion into the performance which resonated throughout the theatre.
In addition to Ekisola’s strong leading role, Ryan Richardson, who portrayed the role of Creon, Antigone’s uncle and King of Thebes, left an equivalently influential impression. Richardson illustrated Creon’s inner truth earnestly by taking the audience through emotional ups and downs of the duties that coincide with political power, leadership, and personal relationships.
As audience members were placed on both sides of the creative marble set, the staging of the actors appeared strategic to the point where every member in the theatre was able to feel and see each of the characters’ purposes.
The production sought to engage and confront the audience in a powerful approach at associating ancient matters with the difficult topics of today’s society. From a social perspective, Antigone allowed the spectators to leave the theatre and apply the concepts of the play into the social issues of everyday life.
The production of Antigone ultimately brought a sense of mortality, justice, and enlightenment from an ancient Greek classic to it’s modern age playwright in an effort well done.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteJason Fairbanks
October 8, 2017
Sophocles was able to write a tragedy that has stood the test of time. Antigone was performed for the first time over two thousand years ago, but yet it is still relevant today. The struggle between state law and religious law is something that is still an issue today. The United States has debates over whether the law should be able to be over ruled by the religious beliefs of its citizens.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks and Costume Designer Laura Piotrowski were able to tie in a modern aspect to this production. From things such as guns as weapons to clothing, this was a modern version of Antigone. This helped the play to be more relatable to modern day issues. Seeing the actors dressed in modern day attire made making connections a lot easier. The senators were all dressed as modern day senators would dress, and Creon dressed as how the president of the United States dresses. The connection could then be made to how this production relates to the world today, and how there is a struggle between citizens and the government on certain topics.
Antigone (Tolu Ekisola) was able to portray the struggle of standing up for what she believed in. She never backed down when pressed about if she buried her brother who was deemed a traitor by Creon. She appeared to be a very good fit for the role, as she made the audience feel for her and why she did what she did. Creon (Ryan Richardson) also was very rigid with following the law that he put forth. He played the role very passionately as he had a lot of emotion throughout the performance. From when he was upset when he found out the news of the burial form the soldier, to when he got the heartbreaking news that his son and wife were dead. Both of these main characters were well rehearsed and put forth a great performance.
Antigone is a very dramatic and serious play, so it was great to see that Jenna Soleo-Shanks was able to incorporate comedy in spots. Soldier (Luke Harger) gave comedy in his first scene when he had to report to Creon that the body had been buried. The way that he delivered his lines gave the performance some comedic relief to such a serious topic.
The production of Antigone by the theatre department at UMD was a unique and fun experience. From the video clips before the show, to the high emotions that were produced by Creon and Antigone, the performance was an exciting time for the people in attendance at the Dudley.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteEmilie Sebion
October 9th, 2017
University of Minnesota Duluth production of “ Antigone” is a classic greek heartbreaking tragic story. Directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, the audience was put in an awkward up close intimate performance. Antigone is based back in the ancient Greeks where man ruled women and anything the king said went. But Antigone stood up to the king and said that he is ruling against her morals.
When Antigone and her sister Ismene first came on the stage their facial, breathing, and gestures captivated me at the beginning. Their performance made me feel like I was in ancient times watching from afar. The way Antigone put herself into the each scene believing every word she would speak. The way she was able to speed up and slow down her voice but her voice was so confident and proud of the words she was saying. She was perceived to be the character, not just acting their character.
They moved around the stage smoothly and effortlessly. With having audiences on both sides you had to an opportunity to watch not only the performers on stage you saw the other audience members and how they reacted to the scene. The actors never stayed still. They kept moving, turning their body so they could keep up drama and suspense.
The design layout of the stage was laid out clean and sleek. With costumes and the stage colors never overlapping. Ceron's suit did not clash with the main chair that he would sit on. Or the little cubes that the senators would sit on.
When Creon (Ryan Richardson) was on top of the stage, higher than everyone else making him seem like he was above everyone. The way his voice was projected. Loud and firm strong and confident his
The soldier (Luke Harger) playing his role so effortlessly. His facial expressions at all times of the show, felt an awkwardness, tension about how he felt about the laws and how Creon was ruling.
Overall, Antigone was a heartbreaking, tragic, in- justifiable production. With every character to the sound and quality of the production. It was well rehearsed and well executed.
Antigone
ReplyDeletePawel Waszczuk
October 9, 2017
The UMD production of Antigone on Thursday, October 5, 2017 was a riveting show. It seemed that the cast was extremely well prepared for the showing and that there were no serious blunders. The set was extraordinary and the interpretation for the themes of the play looked like they intended to bring this Ancient Greek play a little closer to our own times.
Tolu Ekisola played Antigone in this production and she moved the audience. It appeared as if she was Antigone in flesh and bone and that the audience was merely a bystanding crowd watching the events pass by. Her performance seemed flawless and she did extremely well to address both sides of the audience. A certain aspect of her performance that was extraordinary was how well Tolu was able to release her emotions and really show the raw pain, grief, and anger that Antigone was experiencing in the play.
Ryan Richardson played Creon in this production and he seemed to really understand the point of view and the reasoning behind Creon’s thinking because he looked as if he meant every single word that came out his mouth during the time of the play. Especially during the interaction with Haemon, played by Kevin Dustrude, Ryan really looked like he were the father of his fellow actor. Kevin also played his role of Haemon, the son of Creon, in an extremely convincing fashion. He must have prepared himself mentally as well as physically for the amount of arguing that he and Ryan had to act out. Their interactions really highlighted the relationship between Creon and Haemon as electric and fiery.
The interpretation of the Play in this production was extraordinary. The scene and the costumes were thought out so that the play seemed to relate to more modern times. The scenery had a desert appearance to it, the soldiers were dressed in camo and carried guns, and the senators of lord Creon wore suits and held Ipads. Also the walls had tapestry on them and various clips of the wars happening in the Middle East were played at the beginning and the end of the play. These really made the impression that the theme of the play was focused on our current political problems, instability in the Middle East, and the injustice that countless people face in our world today.
The production of Antigone on Thursday, October 5, 2017 was extremely riveting and worth the watch. Take some time off in the evening and experience an exciting cast and an extremely talented crew of the UMD Theater perform.
A modern day twist to an immortal story. Directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks and performed by the students at UMD, an intense and emotional show of Antigone was put together and touched everyone in attendance in a different way. As this play had both an ancient and modern touch to it, guests were able to react to it in multiple ways.
ReplyDeleteThe environment of this play was not your normal show experience, being in a black box theater the audience is sitting right on the stage with the performers. This setting allows the guests to feel more involved with the play as there is the feeling that you are sitting in the middle of everything going on. The set had the same constant scenery throughout the whole performance, which worked well for those who know what Antigone is about going into it, but I feel for those who have never heard of Antigone may have had some confusion regarding the set, and a few scenery changes may have been beneficial for them.
Being such an emotional play, getting the emotions of the character right was a big part to it. The actors and actresses met the high expectations and nailed those emotions. Creon, played by Ryan Richardson, perfected the anger and ownership of the stage, and towards the end was able to show his vulnerability very successfully as life stopped going his way.
Antigone, played by Tolu Ekisola, was the niece of Creon and touched everyone's hearts with the mournful role she played.
Ismene, played by Lauren Hugh, and the sister of Antigone also did a very well job at displaying her emotions. The two actresses (Lauren and Tolu) together created a very powerful image of sadness and anger. In moments of their embraces with each other, or in moments of expressing anger the audience could really feel what they were trying to portray.
Luke Harger, who played the role of the soldier and also a council member did a very commendable job at adding the right amount of humor to the play that lightened the mood of it. His facial and body expression appropriately told the audience that it was well okay to laugh at the things intended to be laughed it, which helped make the play a little less serious.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks added a well thought modern twist to the play. From the council members using modern day technology, and the use of video productions at various times in the play, to the Costume Designer, Laura Piotrowski, who added a modern twist as well to the choice of clothing the performers wore. This modern add to the play allowed the audience to make connections to social issues today, as well as make it more relevant to their lives as well.
Antigone was an all-around spectacular performance. From reaching intense emotions, to adding a UMD twist to the performance, the performers in Antigone put on a very admirable play that many will not forget.
Antigone Review
ReplyDeleteRebeca Livermont
When the Greek playwright Sophocles wrote “Antigone” it was well before the time of Donald Trump, Black Lives Matter or Colin Kaepernick. So why do so many of the points addressed in UMD’s recent modernization of the classic Greek tragedy feel so relevant to today? The cast of “Antigone”, led by Tolu Ekisola and Ryan Richardson as the defiant titular character and the authoritarian Creon respectively, spend two hours debating where one’s true loyalties should lie; within our beliefs or with the state?
Technically the show was stunning. The pantomimed opening scene, which was set to a montage of disasters projected on both side of the room, was nothing if not effective. The set was fairly minimalist with the exception of its bold choice of color scheme, but worked well with the general ambience of the rest of the show nonetheless. For the majority of the show the lights were dimmer than one might expect, which only added to the intensity of the content. Blackouts were often utilized for to transition from scene to scene.
Ekisola played Antigone herself with both a fiery zealousness and raw animosity that excellently displayed the true complexity of the character. Antigone knows what she has done is wrong by her uncle’s standards, but very right by her own. She is prepared to face the consequences of her actions, but this does not mean she is willing to quietly march to her death. In Ekisola’s performance there is a mix of dignity, conviction and fear that all stew together to show a girl who is simultaneously satisfied and terrified of her fate.
In the meantime, Richardson depicted Creon as a domineering leader who is caught between the beliefs of his supporters and a law of his own creation. Richardson’s portrayal shows Creon as impatient and intolerant, yet deeply empathetic at times. The king must decide if he is willing to let loyalty to the state trump his duty to his family, and Richardson was able to depict a man who is both intimidating and vulnerable.
Lauren Hugh, who played Ismene, perfectly encapsulated the persona of the bystander. Ismene is torn between what she knows is right and what she sees as acceptable, a place many people in current society are also caught. Ismene represents the everyman, the person who is trapped between two extremes and is asked to make a decision. However, Ismene’s progression from silent objector to sullen leader by the end of the second act was remarkable, much to Hugh’s and the director’s credit.
In addition to main cast, several members of the chorus also took on featured roles. One performer in particular who stood out was Amanda Hennen as Teiresias. Hennen’s performance as the blind seer was eccentric, unhinged, and quite honestly terrifying. All of this added a shear intensity to the single scene in which Teiresias appears, and made it one of the most memorable performances in the production.
The timing of this production was surely not coincidental. Without naming any names or pointing any fingers, a great deal was implied about the current state of modern society and politics. While many of the themes of the play were able to transfer effortlessly from ancient Greece to modern America, some things simply did not fit. One such feature was parts of the chorus, made up of pantsuit clad “senators”. While each performer still carried his or her weight, the hefty material supplied to the chorus proved tedious and drawn out at times, and appeared to stump both the director and the actors at some points. However, these points were few and far between, and for the majority of the production the chorus and the rest of the cast were able to manage their material masterfully.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteTori Stacken
11 October 2017
The University of Minnesota Duluth’s production of the Greek tragedy Antigone could have made even the Muses weep in jealousy.
Directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, the story brought to light some important political issues in the world today, and Soleo-Shanks’ directorial skills were apparent in every detail. Through the elegant and powerful stage pictures and blocking, the audience left the show with a desire to stand up for their own beliefs.
The actors did incredible work in this show. The young woman playing Anitgone (Tolu Ekisola) brought a beautiful, fierce intensity to her role and left the audience feeling every ounce of what Antigone felt. Ekisola made her character easy to empathize with, and she truly did some remarkable work in that respect.
Ekisola and Lauren Hugh, who plays Antigone’s sister Ismene, have great chemistry on stage. Hugh’s portrayal of a frightened, respectful Ismene contrasts beautifully with Ekisola’s fearless, rebellious Antigone, specifically in their argument at the top of the show. Their chemistry, their ability to play so well off each other, drew the audience into the complex relationship between their characters.
Antigone’s antagonist uncle Creon (Ryan Richardson) is familiar to some people. He is just a man trying to do what is best for his country and his family. Unfortunately, his actions have consequences; and, Richardson does spectacular work conveying his character’s stubbornness and descent into madness. At the top of the show, the audience is given a charismatic politician with only the best in mind for the world around him. As the show progresses, Richardson turns up Creon’s emotions, bringing out an intense anger and a beaming pride. Creon’s madness is brilliantly portrayed, and the slow progression of his anger into madness is breathtaking.
Leah Benson-Devine’s set provided a unique and effective set. The close proximity of the actors made the audience truly feel involved and helped them feel more personally connected to the characters, and Laura Piotrowski’s costume design was fascinating and brought tied together the ancient and modern, combining both elements beautifully.
The technical elements of the show were tied together wonderfully. The lighting, projection, and sound designers (Mark Harvey, Dan Fitzpatrick, and Jon Brophy) all did spectacular work to create an ominous environment throughout the play, using powerful images of war, dark music, and intense lighting.
All in all, Antigone was absolutely gorgeous, and the tragedy only added to its appeal. The show was directed, cast, and designed beautifully, and it reminds us that history often tends to repeat itself.
Jenna Soleo-Shanks used a minimalist set and small cast to convey the creative direction of a modernized retelling of the Greek tragedy of Antigone. The play began with the use of projectors to show footage of modern war as members of the cast ran about the stage to establish the chaos of war that lead into the plot as well as serving the purpose of informing the audience of the new setting and time this version of the play takes place.
ReplyDeleteOne of the roles that did not translate as well in the modern retelling of the play was the chorus line of the original. The dialogue broken up for each member created more of a feeling of the actors being characters but the lack of stage direction caused the performances to feel very static. In sharp contrast to the performance of the audience the role of King Creon played by Ryan Richardson. Richardson’s performance was a compelling and engaging performance that conveyed a wide range of emotions from a smarmy cockiness to belligerent and uncontrollable anger and even a broken heartedness and sorrow that made the character feel memorable if it weren’t too late.
Tolu Ekisola played the role of Antigone with a performance that at times felt self indulgent.At times it felt as though the actor was acting to demonstrate that they could act for the audience but it did not seem to matter who was on the stage with them or who was being addressed. Some scenes in the play divulged into a shouting match among actors which caused some confusion in the dialogue. Luck Harger performed both as a member of the chorus and the soldier and demonstrated versatility as an actor by being able to play two very different characters, going from the role of the concerned members of Creon’s counsel to the comic relief of the play and keeping the members of the audience engaged with the over the top performance.
The director made the choice to have the actors engage the audience by speaking directly to them which made the directions of words a bit hard to follow because things were said to the audience but were clearly meant for one of the other characters on the stage. Another aspect of directly speaking to the audience was that on occasion members of the course would stand between members of the audience and the performer addressing them which was awkward to view.
The contemporary version of Antigone was an artistic way of conveying the Greek tragedy that used a minimalist set and small cast to change the setting and translate older roles to a modern way for views to understand the underlying aspects of the struggle of power and politics and featured very compelling performances despite some of the difficulties that were faced in turning a play thousands of years old into a contemporary performance.
After years of Sophocles writing of Antigone being performed by several different theater companies, several different directors and actors contributing to this ancient play’s script, what made UMD director Jenna Soleo-Shanks’s version stand out from the rest? The cast on Antigone led by Tolu Ekisola and Ryan Richardson playing the rebellious Antigone and restraining Creon sent a very strong message in their 2 hours on stage, where does your loyalty lie; within the state or within our beliefs?
ReplyDeleteIn our society, today we continue to disregard and demean those whose ideas, political or not, differ from us. Soleo-Shanks drew this connection to Sophocles Antigone hoping to challenge the audience to see what they may be able to learn from this story and hoping they walk away with the ability to apply it to the world today.
The beginning on the play opened with a montage of war scenes projected on both sides of the black box, immediately catching the attention of the audience. The set was rather small, working well with the number of actors while also being very effective for the purpose of intimacy between them. The use of lights helped to direct the audience attention to the main focus point during the play, while also using dim lights to add intensity during moments of the play.
Richardson portrays Creon as the suppressive leader who is stuck between sticking to his word or surrendering to the thoughts of his followers. Richardson’s imitation shows Creon to be intimidating, frightening, and intolerant. As the king, he must decide to either stick to his word showing loyalty to the state, or give in to his word and showing loyalty to his family. While faced with this difficult decision we see a change in character overcome Creon, changing him from his once intimidating self, to now a more vulnerable human being just like his followers.
Ekisola played Antigone, the disobedient, strong headed, and rebellious women fighting for loyalty within your beliefs. Antigone knows by the state what she has done is wrong, but within her heart she knows her loyalty to her own beliefs means more to her than what Creon has enforced. During the performance Ekisola stuck to the strong, stubborn character of Antigone while imperceptibly showing more concern for the inevitable to come.
Antigone’s sister, Ismene, played by Lauren Hugh is a very timid, panicked character who only becomes eager and willing once the stakes are high for Antigone. Being torn between loyalty in state and loyalty in beliefs, Ismene has a much harder time choosing what she believes in. Hugh embodied this character sticking to the same persona from beginning to end. Only when the stakes are high did she step in, showing that her character never changed.
In addition to those main characters, Soleo-Shanks also provided us with a chorus formed up of the Senate. This group of people stood behind Creon as his followers, depicting his idea of what he wants his followers to be. Adding in vocally a subtle touch, they provided the audience with insight to the ideas of his followers. Their contribution helped the audience to see the gradual change from loyalty to state, to loyalty in your beliefs.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteNate Larson
11 October 2017
I attended the October 5th show of Antigone at the Dudley Experimental Theatre. The director, Jenna Soleo-Shanks, aimed to show the long standing struggle between personal beliefs and the power of the state in a modern setting. Soleo-Shanks portrayed this issue with few flaws throughout the performance.
The performance began with projections on the walls of scenes of war. Nothing significant was happening in the plot of the play at that point and there weren’t even any lines spoken. It was just a bunch of characters quickly running on and offstage. While this was a definitely a strong attention getter, The use of the projections throughout the performance didn’t help the play reach its intended message. The projections later in the play somewhat distracted from what was actually going on onstage. It was hard to focus on what the actors were doing on the dimly lit stage while there were videos of war and violence being shown on the walls above the actors.
Costume Designer Laura Piotrowski created modernized costumes that fit well into the play and helped accomplish the goals that Soleo-Shanks envisioned. From the rifles and pistols to the nice business suits, the costumes made the play seem very modern with the exception of one character, Teiresias. Teiresias entered wearing a strange outfit that seemed like something that would be worn traditionally in the desert and told Creon he was wrong for what he did. It was far different from anyone else’s costume. To me, this represented the longevity of the battle between personal beliefs and central power.
The black box theatre setup made watching the performance much more interesting than most traditional theatre settings. Having the audience seated on opposite sides of the stage made it feel as if they were a part of the government meetings that occurred in the plot of the play and actually a part of the set. The intimate feeling of the performance allowed me to see how other people were reacting to the play, which added to the overall experience, and also connect with the actors more directly. The actors roamed the perimeter of the stage and often looked directly at audience members.
Many of the actors also performed their roles very well. The strong emotions portrayed by the major characters got me very engaged in the play and helped accomplish the overall purpose that Soleo-Shanks intended. Some of the less important characters in the play’s plot even helped make the performance special as well.
The soldier, played by Luke Harger, provided a needed level of comedic relief in an otherwise glum play. Harger’s character was in serious trouble, but he did a great job of being humorous without taking too much away from the overall severity of what was going on. For a seemingly small role, Harger did a lot to bring the performance together and make it a lot better.
Creon, played by Ryan Richardson, did a great job of representing the oppressive power of central government. He didn’t respond to anyone’s opinions other than his own for the vast majority of the play and the strong emotion that he showed throughout really helped convey Soleo-Shanks’ purpose in this performance.
Antigone, played by Tolu Ekisola, and Ismene, played by Lauren Hugh, had a very intense relationship early on in the play. The passion and emotion that they showed after their brother’s death and the intensity of their debates about burying the body really made the play more engaging and dramatic. Ekisola’s feuding with Richardson late in the performance was also very helpful in the depiction of struggle between state power and personal beliefs that Soleo-Shanks aimed to express.
Overall, Soleo-Shanks and the UMD Theatre’s production of Antigone was very well done across the board. It was well directed, the costumes were relevant and appealing, and the actors performed well. I would say that Soleo-Shanks achieved her purpose of creating a modern and politically relevant rendition of a play that has a very long and diverse history.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteAnders Brown
I attended the October 4th show, I was left by otter shock and realization of an ancient Greek play, that i was totally uninformed of, I felt the need to want more, and research more. The play was a tragic, with highlighted with moments of stubbornness, comedic relief, and sudden shock. It was an emotional roller-coaster, that reached its climax at the end. The story showed the flexibility as well as the skill of a few individual students (Amanda Hennen, Luke Harger, Cally Stanich, Kevin Dustrude) all taking different roles throughout the play, and executing beautifully. Hennen, played a senator as well as Teiresias the blind, tried to provide Creon with the truth and harsh repercussions that would come if Creon had acted with his dull and stubborn behavior. Harger provided comedic relief as playing a soldier, as well as a senator aiding the mighty Creon. Stanich, provided minimal words as Eurydice, but words were not needed, her expressions and mannerisms did all the talking she needed. Dustrude, played a senator as well as Creon and Eurydice son, Haemon. Who showed growth as a boy, into a man, you could see the change in character throughout and he was fantastic! One thing that really was something I was concerned with was the lack of setting due to the space of the Dudley Theatre. However, this play exceeded that concern from the small theatre provided a unique sound bounce as well as you are no more then 5-10 from the actors at most. It i believe benefited the play, it was a very passionate play that plays to an adult, or more mature audience. The part of the play that really stuck out to me was the performance of Creon portrayed by Ryan Richardson, he was a strong and bold figure that provided a modernized Creon with a business type figure in a modernized setting with senators. Creon was head-strong individual who was left with a fatal decision he made, between a burial of two brothers or lack their of, fighting against each other on different sides. It was a decision made by his "honor and loyalty". I believe the play provided growth of society and our culture over time from ancient Greece, to a modern world now. It was almost like the value of Integrity and Honor, was more important than family back then, and it showed with the emotions of the play and the actions of all of the actors. The main character Antigone (Tolu Ekisola), provided a young women who was not afraid of practically anyone, she stood for morality, and independence, willing to die for her family, and knowingly was not afraid of higher authority, and was often raising her voice which was exceptionally piercing in the Dudley Theatre, who never really showed her love for Haemon, who was ready to marry Antigone, until death did them part. That was the only really unclear part of the play was the lack of affection by Antigone towards Haemon. The clips of the war footage as well footage at the ending provided a great modernized touch to an Ancient Greek Classic! Overall it was a fantastic play, that I recommend to anyone, with a mature viewing, you will not be disappointed!
As a person who is cultured in the viewing of the theatre arts from high school plays to Broadway shows, I did not know what to expect when attending my first college theatre performance. Overall, I was very impressed with the quality of the actors in UMD’s production of “Antigone”. Despite the extremely political and aggressive plot of the production, the actors illustrated the story well and effectively related the play written by Sophocles in 431 B.C. to politics of the current 2017 including the image and opinions of Donald Trump and feminism.
ReplyDeleteTo discuss the obvious, Tolu Ekisola did an excellent job of portraying the emotionally distressed Antigone. Comprehensively, Ekisola was very precise with her tone and mood towards the law in its entirety, and the almighty uncle, King Creon. Antigone’s actions that were supposedly “against the law” were part of her grief process of her brother’s death, which Ekisola simulated adequately through her emotions.
Yet another blatantly evident character, the all-powerful Creon. In summary, as a character, Creon is belligerent and orders what he believes to be correct, which is undoubtedly wrong and unethical to the audience as well as the rest of the actors. Richardson made it easy for the audience to believe that he was King and believed what Creon thought was right due to the passion in his voice and the presumptuous approach he took towards the role of King Creon.
I believe there were two main issues with the play, one being the scenery. To review the scenery, on the side walls of the Dudley Experimental Theater, there were many modern-looking posters hung up, such as peace signs and contemporary images. Because the play was written so long ago but was interpreted and performed in a current manner, the scenery would seem to be appropriate but personally, I was confused by the meaning behind it. The posters seemed unnecessary, simply because they were not referenced in the entirety of the play. In addition, the play was set in the King’s castle, and a castle would not typically have modern posters promoting the negatives of the law and individual opinions casually hanging around.
The other issue that was problematic for me was the number of actors. I did not like that there were two or three actors who obtained two different roles. As an audience member, it was not confusing due to costume changes and such, but the play would have been more coherent and logical if an extra few actors played the roles of the doubles.
Despite the two issues I had with UMD's production of "Antigone", I enjoyed attending the play because it challenged me to think about perspectives on current issues different from my own.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteJoey Edwards
11 October 2017
Antigone, what a breath-taking play, a classic Greek creation modernized for today’s society. This was a play that had withstood the test of time, originally written in 441 B.C.E by Sophocles this play being one of his many greats. The Antigone that we as audiance had the pleasure to enjoy was different from the original, it was an adaptation from Dr. Soleo-Shanks. The biggest and easily most visible change that she had made was the wardrobe of the characters. The Senators, King Creon, his son Haemon, and his wife Eurydice all dressed in modern garb. This decision by here could have gone either way, good or bad, and it was one that worked out well. We see the soldier, dressed in camo and a gun as a side arm, this is another good outcome of the modernization of the play. The crowd is used to seeing a soldier with a sword or a spear, but to give a soldier a gun and camo was a stretch, one that worked out well because it tied in to the rest of the play and its modern idea.
The problem that was originally presented with the play was that the senators played by, Simon VanVactor-Lee, Maggie Thompson, and Bud Gibson, where concrete characters. It seemed as if their role was to just stand and be a part of the action, watch as things went on and react once things have happened. But as Antigone went on the developed a presence, interacting with Creon in his time of anguish and time of triumph. Which led to the blossoming realization that these characters are the chorus to the play, recapping and adding information to the acts. They were well acted characters; their presence just did not feel as if they were there, the emotion of these characters was not as easy to feel as say King Creon or Antigone.
At the beginning of this play Antigone had come out and the adventure of the play had begun, the tension could be seen on her face. Her being Antigone played by a one Tolu Ekisola, she did a great job as Antigone and she brought the fiery emotion that this character demanded. Ekisola was able to convey her voice to enough for a theatre twice the size to hear what she had to say, which to some may have been an irritation, but in the theatre and for that play it was ideal. Antigone was a character that had to fight for what she believed was right, and in this fight, she was head to head with the strongest power in the kingdom, the king himself. Ekisola bleed emotion in this play, as she stood before the king after disobeying his order, an order that if disobeyed would lead to the death to any who dared. Ekisola stood strong and proud for the treason that she committed, even in front of the King while being punished to death by starvation, a gruesome death for sure.
King Creon played by Ryan Richardson, was a very large role in this play, and same as the senators was developed as the play went on. The play is called Antigone, but the main character of the play is really King Creon, this is a play that showed the audience Creon at his finest hour and at his timely demise. When he the king made his law to leave the man unburied in the desert that he truly believed in that statement, and when he lost everything the pain he felt struck deep and meant a lot to him. A problem with his acting that came up, was that he seemed to make his accent to “four score and seven years ago” and not enough of a Greek king. Which Richardson changed from the first act to the second, he come out like a house of fire and finished the play with the drive and passion to make this a great performance.
Antigone, is a very well-known play, one of Sophocles many greats in his history as a play wright. Any true fan of Sophocles could see this adaption of Antigone and see the same concepts as the original. It was a modern adaptation of the original, with all the same concepts and meanings, Dr. Soleo-Shanks did a good job at making sure of that. It was a Thursday night well spent and highly recommend utilizing time to spend one’s night in the same way.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteThomas Bruchu
I attended the October 4th show. Directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks and performed by the students of Minnesota Duluth, “Antigone” was a most intense production. She added a slight modern twist to the play which was a splendid idea. It made the play a little more relevant to the audience’s life. I had never heard of the play before and did not research it all before I went. I purposely wanted to have a perfectly wide imagination of what the play could possibly be going into it. After attending the production concluded, I was intrigued to go back home and do a little research on it. What I found is that “Antigone” was an ancient Greek play. The black box stage made the play much more interesting. It somehow made the audience feel like they were a part of the play. The only thing I would have liked to have seen would have been a change in scenery. Having the same scenery, the entire play was a little boring for me. One of my favorite parts of going to plays is the change of scenery. When scenery such as giant paintings or painted floors, or even fake trees and rocks can improve a play in my opinion. It just seemed to me like they did not put much work into anything but the acting and the costumes. It would have shown to be more beneficial. When the senators would speak out and face the crowd and ask a question, I almost felt the need to answer the question. It seemed like they also wanted the audience’s opinions when the senators were bashing Creon. Which obviously they didn’t want that. I don’t mean to rip on the scenery the idea of the black box was great and kept my heart going. That was just the first time I had seen a production in a black box and that was hard for me.
The play had so much emotion it was an emotional roller coaster. The actors met the high expectations and hammered themselves into their characters. Creon, played by Ryan Richardson, did a spectacular job. He made it seem like he truly thought his laws were moral and made it seem like he really thought he was a good king. His part however, was actually a terrible King and he used his manly voice to make his performance incredible. He also spits a lot of saliva all over the place and that was grossing me out. Other actors who played two roles also did a wonderful job. To me, that is simply amazing. The ability to be able to be two completely different people in the matter of minutes was fun to watch. My favorite was Luke Harger, who played the soldier and also a council member. His role as the soldier was to lighten the mood of the play I felt like. He was all fidgety and cracked some jokes to lighten the mood as I said. Others such as Amanda Hennen, Cally Stanich, And Kevin Dustrude also all did a great job of being two completely different people. Ismene, who was played by Lauren Hugh, did a great job of showing her love for sister by the end of the play. The whole sister to sister thing was really great because sisters especially in modern times have fights and make up all the time. Ismene and Antigone simply had a disagreement but made amends by the end of the play.
Antigone showed great love for her family and that was admirable. Her ability to see past the Kings clearly immoral laws was great. Creon would have killed her for doing the right thing. Which is a great Greek lesson that I think the original play was trying to portray. That it doesn’t matter what the rule or law is, if it is the right thing to do then one better do it.
Overall, “Antigone” was a wonderful production put on by the Bulldogs. Round of applause for Jenna Soleo-Shanks, she really was dedicated to making the emotions of her actors come out and reveal themselves!! I would definitely recommend the play.
Natalie Danielson
ReplyDeleteAntigone Review
October 12
Antigone is a timeless play that has been performed over and over again since its creation by Sophocles around 441BC, and the UMD production of the show has shown its true greatness through their recent and incredibly intimate production. From the interesting characters and dialogue to the unique sets and costumes, attendees of this performance were in for an interesting night from the Greek playwright.
Jenna Soleo-Shanks has created a very unique production that will never be able to be redone in the same ways. The way she and the rest of the production team approached the play shows their creativity and complete understanding of the play. The set, designed by Leah Benson-Devine, seemed that it was created to represent how the play would have been performed in Greece with what some people would consider “simpler” scenery, however, there were many modern elements in the set and production (including the costumes), that made the play relatable to modern society. The use of projectors and videos showed the connection of the play’s meaning to modern times, but it also stayed true to the main themes of the play.
The actors chosen for these roles all filled them wonderfully, and each brought a unique element to their characters to make them engaging and interesting. The fact that the actors were able to play multiple roles showed their real talent, and made the audience even more intrigued in the show to see these actors in different areas of the play. All of the actors engaged with the audience, which is a little different from a typical play, where a fourth wall is sometimes involved, however, by interacting with the audience, they kept everyone’s attention and played off their emotions while staying in character.
While all of the actors were great in their (some multiple) roles, one of the most memorable performances was by Ryan Richardson who played the character of King Creon. He was able to portray all of the emotions that King Creon possessed and there was never a moment where his character’s actions or feelings were confusing. He also showed the change in Creon throughout the play in a gradual way that was not just from “point A to point B,” but he took his time showing the characters inner battle between “right and wrong.” All of the actors were able to get into their roles; however, Ryan Richardson knew how to take it one step further and make the audience hate and/or possibly love his character.
Overall, UMD’s production of Antigone was a performance will never be forgotten by the fans of the UMD theatre. It was a difficult play to produce, especially when it came to trying to keep the audience’s full attention because of the type of play it was, but Jenna Soleo-Shanks was able to create a show, along with the many other people who helped make this show a success, that was not only interesting, but relevant to modern society. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the cast and crew.
Antigone-Dudley Experimental Theatre
ReplyDeleteEmily Olson
12 October 2017
Antigone, a play directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks in the Dudley Experimental Theatre at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, was a hit on opening night. It was a full house, with all one hundred seats being occupied by members of the school and community. Every element of a play, from the acting, to the stage props, to the visual and sound effects came together in this rendition of Sophocles’ original script. Most notably, each actor in the play did a remarkable job expressing the emotions and body movements of the character/s he or she performed in the theatre production.
Antigone, played by Tolu Ekisola, was a shining star throughout her performance. Each line she spoke resonated in the black box space. Her emotions were deeply connected to her moral code to do what was right for her family. Even if it meant doing it alone, Antigone was going to bury her brother. Tolu Ekisola was everything and more of what the audience expected Antigone to be like. She was fierce, strong, stubborn, and free-willed. Her body movements were with confidence and her voice was filled with attitude. It seemed like her volume could go from a two to a ten in a matter of seconds in that small space. Each facial expression she administered was filled with emotions and feelings that were reflective of what the character was going through at the time.
Creon, played by Ryan Richardson, was another memorable character. It seemed like Ryan was selectively chosen for this part because he was tall and intimidating. His facial expression was stern and unforgiving whenever he was talking to Antigone or the senate. However, his facial expression appeared to soften up whenever he talked to his son and at the end of the play when he lost the two people closest to him. Ryan made the audience aware of Creon’s power through his body language. He would always unbutton his suit jacket whenever he sat on his throne. He was also able to look down on the other characters in the play when he sat on the throne. The emotional release at the end of the play was also convincing. It was clear that Creon realized his corruption as governor was what caused his misfortune.
The soldier, played by Luke Harger, successfully made the audience laugh on a number of occasions. Luke’s ability to talk quickly and uncontrollably was perfect for this role. He also was able to maintain a relatively neutral facial expression even when he was speaking a humorous line.
One of the purposes of Antigone was to explore the tension between religious law and state law. This was depicted in the relationship between Antigone (religious morals) and Creon (state rules). In the end of the play, the effects of this disagreement were made evident when a number of lives were lost. The attempt made by the UMD theatre to depict this theme was remarkable. It even included modern day elements in the video projections, thanks to Dan Fitzpatrick, that indicate that the conflict between church and state is still an issue today.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteSean Flaherty
October 3rd, 2017
In the play “Antigone” there is plenty of conflict that leads to tragedy and death. The plays tone is serious and has an intense feel because of all the aggressive interactions between each character. Directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks she was able to bring the play to life and submerse the audience in the action with her black box stage orientation.
The set was unique with the black box orientation with seating all around. Scenic designer Leah Benson-Devine did a great job with making the set compatible of holding all characters with limited space and giving a good view of key pieces like the throne. This was one of the first plays I’ve been to with this setup and it was very fascinating and intriguing to watch.
Creone, played by Ryan Richardson, he had a very good performance as the king. His ability to show so much anger really made me feel as if I was there in the fight. He had a dominate feel to him and portrayed a king in a unique way as a businessman. It was also very unique seeing his character slowly progress from a strong, powerful character into a weak crazed man as his world around him slowly started to crumble. I think he captured the importance of the role perfectly.
Antigone played another strong role in the play, played by Tolu Ekisola, she was very powerful in how she fought for her brother to be properly buried. She nailed her scenes where she was passionate to Ismene and then intense in talking back to the king Creone in her fight to find what is just. Her facial expression really brought out the emotion that she was feeling and being able to be that close to the stage I could see the overall emotion on the characters face.
Haemon played by Kevin Dustrude was probably one of my favorite characters, he had a short part in the overall play but it was well played. The compassion shown fighting for Antigone’s love and his fight with his father Creone was the turning point of the play. He had a compelling and emotional fight that led me to really lean to his side of who was right. Kevin also played a part as a senator, which was good but my thoughts on the senators was rather blah.
Luke Harger as the solder was outstanding. He was able to have a dramatic swing between a comedic relief and a scared news bearer to the king. He also played one of the Senators. Overall was very compelling and really brought a good mix of emotions to the performance.
Ismene (Lauren Hugh) captured the role of the innocence in the play. This was done because of her constant heart felt scenes with Antigone and the fight to save the love that Antigone and Haemon shared. The emotions shown on her face was undeniable real and true, that sealed the deal for her great performance.
Other outstanding performances came from the chorus. Teiresias (Amanda Hennen) the blind truth teller brought back the play to its Greek roots with the feeling of magic and spells. I thought this was a very big switch and enjoyed it a lot. Others like the Furies were good, but I was lost after the first act with their ritual. Other than that, their performance was unique in how their lines were split up and not all together like the original script.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteCorey Todalen
12 October 2017
Jenna Soleo-Shanks took the Dudley theater by storm with her rendition of the classic Greek tragedy Antigone. William Brueggemann gave new livelihood to Antigone with his compositions, while Dan Fitzpatrick gave a melancholic ambiance with his video production. The personal atmosphere of the Dudley Experimental theater pulls the audience right into the drama; allowing the audience to feel more like an observer of Congress than a playhouse patron.
Overall the cast gave us an excellent performance especially Ryan Richardson as King Creon, and Tolu Ekisola who played Antigone. Ryan spoke with an unwavering conviction that his word was law. When Ryan’s booming voice shook the theater, it really sold that he was the man in charge and everyone else were his subjects. Ryan proved that he was not just a one trick pony. In the final scene Creon’s descent into mania almost felt believable. Tolu embodied the role of the grieving sister very well. She captivated the audience with her dedication to her dishonored brother. You could tell that the character of Antigone truly loved her brother to the point of risking her own life to honor his.
As a director Jenna Soleo-Shanks brought the ancient play to the modern day with images of recent wars, contemporary fashions, and an arrogant figurehead with an awful hairstyle. Soleo-Shanks’ take on Antigone had its downfalls. This production of Antigone came at an interesting time. American politics is arguably more polarized than it has ever been in history. An era where violent protests and mass shootings have become so commonplace that it is not uncommon to feel a sense of apathy instead of empathy for current events. With that said, I don’t believe that there was much to take away from a play that echoes a common political opinion as Soleo-Shanks failed to add anything new to the ever-present political dialogue.
Overall, Jenna Soleo-Shanks gave us an excellent production, and the talented cast brought her vision to life. Exceeding expectations for most, but not all of her audience members.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteKourtney Dobmeier
October 13th 2017
The production of Antigone, directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks showcased a wide range of emotion. The small cast meant costume and character changes, in a matter of a few minutes. The transitions were smooth, and the cast did an amazing job of switching from character to character with a seemingly well done performance that took place in the Dudley Experimental Theatre.
The set was simple, yet fitting for the play. The intimate set up allowed both the actors and the audience to interact through eye contact and the audience could really see the emotion in the actors faces, which is always an added bonus.
The lighting and sound for Antigone was well done, especially during the ending scenes when both Haemon, Kevin Dustrude, and Eurydice, Cally Stanich, had been placed in each side of Creon, Ryan RIchardson, as they laid still, never to awake again. The lighting gave it that eerie chill in the room that made the scene have an edge to it.
The opening scene was a great set up to show the environment that the characters were meant to be in. The projection of more recent events of today on the pieces of cloth was interesting, but a little bit confusing. It made it harder to follow, but as the play went on it began to make more sense. It was meant to close the gap of time between when this play was written, and today, and overall it was a really neat idea and a unique approach to show.
The strong relationship between Antigone, Tolu Ekisola, and Ismene, Lauren Hugh, was shown very well. Ekisola’s bold voice and determination was showcased in a way that allowed the audience to really see inside to how her character actually felt. Hugh showed Ismene’s emotion through her teary eyes and heartbreaking goodbye, as she knew her sister’s fate.
Creon, Ryan Richardson, introduced in modern clothing, along with the senators, once again showed the relations between the past and today’s world. Richardson was very convincing in his role, he showed true stubbornness throughout the play, and showed how truly broken his character was by the end of it.
The Senator’s, seemed a bit out of place, and it sounded forced when they would speak. It didn’t come across very natural, Their roles were just as important as any of the other characters in this play. They moved the story along and allowed the audience to understand and analyze the play itself. By the end of the play, they showed more emotion, and allowed the audience to take in their new perspectives as their true emotions really showed.
Luke Harger, Soldier, put up a comedic wall, and portrayed two parts to his character. He was both, a funny comedic relief, but also the deliverer of bad news. He interacted well with the audience and gave them something to engage in by cracking a joke or two, then tell of his bad news. His character may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but by the end, he was crucial to the story.
Haemon, Kevin Dustrude, showed loyalty, compassion, strength and willpower in a single speech, and showed how his father, Richardson was not always correct, and stood up for what he really believed in. Dustrude was able to show all of these emotions in a really short period of time before his chillingly good death scene later to follow.
Amanda Hennen truly embodied Teiresias in a way that was truly amazing. Everyone in the room held their breathe as she began to rage on and told Richardson of his disastrous fate. She provided short comedic relief, but by the end proved that no one would ever want to upset her again.
Antigone is a play that will stick with you, and will make you think twice before you act out on something right away. It was an experience that was unique in many ways. The cast performed wonderfully and portrayed their characters in ways that people can relate to. Antigone is an amazing play that will make you question the world we live in today.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteCaleece Myhre
October 12, 2017
Captivating story turned lesson to today’s world 2000 years later.
The timeless story written by Sophocles 2000 years ago highlights the still-present tensions between individuals’ freedoms and the law of the state. To most people, ancient writings are considered off based in regards to what is happening in the current era but Antigone depicts a different story.
The setup of the Dudley Experimental Theatre for Antigone captures the idea of the audience interacting with the actors in an intimate space. The layout makes sure the audience gets a front row seat to the action but also the ability to see the reactions of the other side of audience members. The projecting screens was the first leeway that demonstrated how director Jenna Soleo-Shanks modernized the play with current scenes of war. The simple set consisted of a couple moveable pieces which helped the audience to focus more on the acting.
The entire cast of Antigone did an amazing job of telling such a powerful and emotional work of literature and it was apparent of all the hard work that was demonstrated. The title character, Antigone portrayed by Tolu Ekisola, drove home the idea of standing up from what you believe in not matter what the punishment may be. It was apparent of how much Ekisola really connected with the character by how the emotions she portrayed seemed to be real and felt by the audience. Creon, played by Ryan Richardson, demonstrated how much of a development a character can undergo in a matter of two hours. Richardson did such a fantastic job of showing the change his character went from selfish king to shamed man in the two hour play.
Antigone’s sister Ismene, portrayed by Lauren High, developed into such a fearless character by the final lines of the show. Hugh really dug into her emotions with Ismene reciting how Antigone died which showed how much of a professional Lauren was. The solider, played by Luke Harger, added a little laughter to such a serious message. Harger did the role justice with his ability to make the role relatable to how people would have actually acted in the soldier’s position. The cast of senators added another modern touch Soleo-Shanks was going for with their modern dress and props. Even though a lot of the senators played multiple roles, their acting versatility was showcased nicely each time they entered as a new character.
The few musical and sound cues were demonstrated nicely by composer William Brueggemann and sound director Jon Brophy. The different lighting spotlights used by lighting designer Mark Harvey guided the audience to focus on the important actors of the scene which helped the audience to better understand the battle of power. The modern aspect of the costumes designed by Laura Piotrowski helped again to link the ancient Greece world to modern business attire with the except of Ismene and Antigone’s costumes. Those two were dressed more traditional which could have possibly implemented how both of them didn’t really belong in the world surrounding them.
The overarching goal of UMD’s production of Antigone was to link the ancient words of Sophocles to a current issue in 2017 and it was done fantastically. Going to see the passion of the actors and crew members for a second time would definitely be in my go to list but every production must come to an end sadly. Bravo to the whole cast and crew, Antigone was a production I will never forget.
Aaron Spah
ReplyDeleteAntigone
October 13, 2017
I attended the October 5th show of Antigone, the director Jenna Soleo-Shanks took this ancient play and put it in a modern time. Because then we can relate more to it showing when the government has laws that go against someone’s religion, and that was the major theme to the production.
The actors in this play did a great job expressing the emotion of their character, and some even took on two roles. Luke Harger for one example played the roles of a senator, and the soldier who keeps bringing King Creon the news he is not wanting to hear. He does a very good job with this role and was able to create some comedy.
Ryan Richardson who played Creon did an outstanding job in this role. He really showed the craziness in Creon at the beginning, when he heard that the body of a traitor was buried he went crazy and needed this person to be found. He also does a great job showing the change in Creon throughout the play showing how he went from this all mighty king to a sad lonely man after his son and wife kill themselves. He also does a very good job creating the conflict of the play on the role of government interfering with what someone’s religion believes.
Tolu Ekisola who played Antigone had an amazing performance, she was able to show such great emotion making it feel almost real to the audience, and did a great job looking at both sides of the audience equally. Her role as Antigone really showed that you should stand up for what you believe in no matter what the consequences are. Antigone’s sister Ismene who was played by Lauren Hugh was great at showing her characters emotions from the heartbreaking goodbye as she knew Antigone was going to be sent away and trapped. She also showed growth from the beginning because her character was scared at the beginning, but by seeing how broken Creon was she knew she must mature because she could be queen sooner than later.
The senators in this play did a great job in their role, they just didn’t seem very necessary for them to always just be standing there and reacting to everything someone said. And that made it confusing when some of the actors would change roles sometimes it took a second to realize that they were now a different person.
This play overall was great, the actor’s emotions in it were outstanding. And it really showed the tension between state and religion which is very present in modern day. You should definitely check it out if you have the chance.
Sophocles' "Antigone" has been around nearly 2500 years ago, yet the text in the play echo strongly today as in the time of the famous Ancient Greece. Democracy, religion, and gender roles is the leading edge when evaluating "Antigone".
ReplyDeleteDirected by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, the University of Minnesota Duluth theater department production of "Antigone", swings hard demonstrating how much of power and superiority plays a big role thousands of years ago and present day as well. The elements combined to create these astonishing episodes of "Antigone" leaves the audience mind blowing.
It was an evening day where the sun was setting outside the University of Minnesota Duluth's Marshall Performing Arts Center, while the indoors held something more valuable to gain from a simple women named Antigone (Tolu Ekisola) won't stand to see her brother's body treated unfairly, so she confronts the king Creon (Ryan Richardson) and buries the body and quotes, "I think your laws are unjust and I defy you-do what you will with me."
The king is considered an absolute ruler. So where is the idea of democracy you say? The perception appears to be through the fight between Antigone and Creon. Creon, however, believes that whomsoever the city may appoint will be obeyed. As the city appoints Creon believes that his word is law and no one has the right to cross his path when it comes to law.
Through her nobility, Tolu Ekisola shows her bravery through words and action. Although Ekisola doesn't go that far, her defiance demonstrates her right to protest and call for change. On the other hand, Creon disagrees and imprisons her in a cave.
Ekisola's civil disobedience shows a citizen holding the government liable for an unjust actions. Her believes indicates that Creon whatsoever has no right to keep her from her own.
The moment we've been waiting for arrives. The moment where Antigone blieves that she owes a longer allegiance to the dead than to the living she says. It's at this moment where Ekisola unravels that Creon is overstepping his obligations as a monarch to the point where the freedom of the people the right to burial according to any religious traditions.
Along with the main two actors, the supporting cast members were outstanding. Allowing the stage and the theater lively was fascinating to see. Teiresias (Amanda Hennen) left the audience awake with her spooky and outrageous tone as she lectures Creon what will befall him and the country because of his stubborn act.
Apart from the actors and all, the sound design managed by Jon Brophy was amazing at all episodes of the play. It's structur made the story more interesting from slow to a spooky sound tone till the end. Adding on to, the lighting design was outstanding which gave the stage a tone for each mood tone which were interesting, the best words to put it as would be catchy!
Surely, in today's modern world we come across situations where we come across between our beliefs and the law itself. Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks definitely provides that example through her modern era actors.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAntigone
ReplyDeleteKayce Kosanda
October 13th, 2017
Jenna Soleo-Shanks production of Anigone was a breath-taking performance. Blending old Greek to modern day culture, most people would assume to be challenging, but I believe this play was executed in an amazing way. The audience was always engaged
Starting the play with a video presentation was a unique way to begin a play but it seemed to capture the audience and bring a little more life into the performance. Also the use of the video at the end of the play felt like they brought the play in a full circle and ended it the way it started.
Antigone was full of different emotions and feelings throughout the entire play. Even from the first scene in the play you could feel the emotions between characters. You could sympathize with the characters and feel the same emotions that they did. I feel like this was an important part to the production considering it was a black box production and this was all happening so close to you and felt as if you were in the middle of this tragedy. It was almost like you could feel the love and hate between characters, the love between Antigone and Ismene, and the strong emotions Creon displayed.
The cast in the play was small but they made that work really well. There were multiple actors that played more than one character, and through costume changes and the change in their body language and voices really sold that they were now a different role. When thinking about actors playing multiple characters Luke Harger really stuck out, he could play a serious senate but then with a quick costume change it was almost like he transformed into a completely different character bringing comedy to the situations.
The use of the black box theater was done very well, even with such a small space the performance felt big, the used the whole space and would change positions of their bodies frequently so the audience would have different views. The actors kept you intrigued to watch them the whole time and follow them wherever they went throughout the stage.
Overall, the performance of Anigone was very well done in a unique way that incorporated both old Greek and modern day. It was emotional, comical, heart-breaking, and tragic. A play that kept you engaged and interested in what was going to happen next. It was a very enjoyable experience for anyone who went and saw it.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteAllison Sipahioglu
October 13, 2017
On October 1st, I had the opportunity to go and see Antigone. Before the show I had little to no knowledge of what this play was about and did my best to go into it with an open mind, which can be hard with some of the older English that’s in it. The play, Antigone, has been performed countless times since being written around 441BC by Sophocles and the UMD production of this timeless play did an outstanding job of presenting this timeless play. Coming out of it I realized how easy it was to follow and how some of the important messages presented are relative to today.
Antigone was the first play that I have witnessed in a black box or experimental theatre. I always thought that performances in such spaces were supposed to be intimate and “real” but I did not feel that way with this production. I don’t know if it was trying to keep track of all the people walking on and off stages every couple of lines or the posters all around the walls that was more captivating than the dialogue that was going on the stage.
There is one thing that I did not quite like about this particular performance and that was the expression of emotion. It may have been because they have rehearsed the play a million times before but the performance felt very mechanical and forced. I noticed that some of the actors only moved when it was their line, the senators particularly, and that their reactions to things that someone would say were on their faces for a few fleeting seconds and then it went back to that state where actors go when they can recite something forward and back. It’s not quite bored by rather unaffected by what’s happening in the story.
The costumes and scenery were very interesting to me. I did get slightly distracted by the posters hanging around the theatre space but the message they were trying to get across came loud and clear. I thought that the particular colours chosen for the main set were very fitting and helped us see the change in characters throughout the play. For example, the set was painted pink with blue and red veins running through it. To me the red was the rage that ran through Antigone and Creon while the blue represented the end cause where everyone is not at peace but have come to realize their actions were wrong. Also, I found that the modern formal wear of everyone besides Antigone, the fortune teller, and Antigone’s sister was a play at making the performance more relatable to modern times.
The part of the production that I though was extremely interesting how the director, Ms. Jenna Soleo-Shanks, incorporated modern aspects to the play. For example, the ancient Greeks thought that blood and gore was wrong and showing it on stage was even worse, so instead they would talk about how someone was murdered or died. That happened in this show but at the end Creon, played by Ryan Richardson, takes a gun out when he is full of sorrow and rage. Another directing technique I thought she used was the use of the angles in the space. From where I sat I could always see the emotion and the gestures that each of the characters were trying to make. Overall the performance had met my expectations though some things that I like to see from an actor’s point of view were missing. Other than that, I feel as though all of the actors and other people involved deserve a huge round of applause.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteFoster Johnson
10/13
As I entered the theater to see Antigone I was excited, but unfortunately I had lost my tickets. Apparently on the walk over they had fallen out of my pocket, I usually don’t place things in my back pocket in case they fall out. However, I wanted to feel cool as I slyly took my tickets out of my back pocket. The lady taking tickets was very nice and offered to reprint my ticket, but thankfully someone found them in the hallway before they were reprinted. As I settled into my seat I noticed the cool layout of the set, the light pink flooring scattered with webs of grass was very aesthetically pleasing. As I went by myself, I was sitting next to strangers, one of the strangers on my right pulled out a pack of mints and offered me one (maybe I had bad breath). Anyway, with a fresh mouth I was ready to watch the production. The opening scene was intimidating, the projected images of brutal war scenes was scary, displeasing, and a little bit corny. It opened the play off with images of war and destruction, I thought that the projectors would be used throughout the production, however they were not, leaving me a bit disappointed as I usually like technically exciting productions. The opening scene between Antiogone (Tolu Ekisola) and Ismene (Lauren Hugh) set the tone for the rest of the production as an exciting drama. They were able to convey the opening plot line well, however I was a bit distracted by the distant sound of some far off noise of perhaps a bell, or some other random sound that lasted through the first half of the first act. Antigone and Ismene were both dressed apart from the rest of the cast. The bulk of the cast was wearing modern business casual attire, while Antigone and Ismene were dressed in dresses that did not fit with the rest. This was an interesting move by the director Jenna Soleo-Shanks to set these sisters apart from the rest of the cast. One minor thing that I found a bit distracting was a part of the set that was disrupted. One piece of the fake grass on the floor was turned over showing a fluorescent green tape, I don’t know why but I found this very distracting, just a minor thing that could of easily been fixed over the intermission. This is akin to someone moving the legs of the curtains on a regular stage, something small that ruins the world of the play, and brings me back to reality. Apart from these distractions the play was put on well. The actors beautifully differentiated from the dual cast nature of the production, and all did an exceptional job showcasing their characters. A few people that stood out were Luke Harger as the solider. He portrayed the scared energetic soldier beautifully. Another stand out was Ryan Richardson as Creon. Throughout the play he developed the character, and we were able to see a very nice rise and fall of emotion, and development of the character. He started out as a king, and by the end was transformed into a weak shell of a man. Amanda Hennen also did a swell job as Teiresias. This blind prophet, was energetic and I almost thought that Teiresias was going to run into me when he walked on stage, Amanda portraying his blindness beautifully. Overall it was an exciting night filled with twists and turns and ended with more death than I would have liked on a fun night out.
Thomas Walton
ReplyDeleteAntigone
10-15-17
The modern translation of the 2000 year old play Antigone, performed at UMD was an entertaining tragic that left me content with the experience. The play outlines a common topic of debate that has been around for thousands of years. The argument of which rules to follow, those of your morals and/or religion, or those of the government is highlighted in this performance when Antigone challenges the ruling of King Creon. Two performers stood out to me the most in this play, with Antigone, played by Tolu Ekisola, catching my eye first through her emotion-filled acting. I believe that she achieved exactly what she was trying to through her performance, as I felt that everyone in the room was moved by her powerful acting. The way she spoke was very convincing to the audience, portraying every feeling with a loud and clear voice. Her performance showed confidence, which went a long way in the play due to the nature of how Antigone is supposed to act. The second performer that stood out to me was Creon, played by Ryan Richardson. Throughout the play, King Creon experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. At first, he was a powerful king who nobody thought to question due to his presence, but in the end, he was a poor man who lost everything, including his will to rule. His performance stood out to me, like Tolu Ekisola’s, because of the powerful acting, filled with emotion and feelings. When Creon yelled, everyone in the room listened, giving him a powerful presence as the King. A little comic relief was a much needed addition to the play, as the soldier, played by Luke Harger, lightened the mood. The black box theatre was a nice adaptation to the play because it immersed the audience into the play, with two divided sections of seating. The simple layout looked clean, without too much clutter to take away from the point of the play.
Overall this play was satisfying to watch, and would be recommended by me to anyone who wants to be entertained by a different type of play that engages the audience in a more intimate way through the closeness of the black box theatre style.
The play antigen was profoundley awesome, when you walk through the theater doors you can feel the difference on how the director used her surrounding as a powerful resource to incorporate amazing scenery in creating a stage for the actors. The modern twist which was used as a way for the play to relate with todays audience, not only made the play relatable but it gave it its own direction. which usually is not always the case for Shakespeare plays. The clothing which was used also related to todays modern fashion. The actors were amazing, especially the actor who played Antigone she used great amount of emotion; almost better then the rest of the actors. What really stood out about antigen was that she was fearless even in front of a king she was relentless.
ReplyDeleteThe actor did a great job of showing this emotion which was important especially for a role as Antigone. The actors dialogue was also very good because of its easy interpretation which is not always involved in Shakespeare plays.
The negative and most irritating part of the play was the blocking which honestly was not very good. The audience had surrounded the stage so the focus should have been on both sides, instead of focusing on one side and ignoring the other.
The design of the theater room was also intriguing because of the message that it gave, their were many peace signs which gave the play another theory that it was trying to incorporeal peace; which isn't always the theme for Shakespeare plays, especially Antigone.
The other thing which was very noticeable is that they didn't have enough actors, you would be watching as one of the actors leave and come back as a different character, in different clothing. One example was the solder who was in the play. He was playing another charecter and he then switched to a solder which was way to noticeable, they should have at least took time before bringing the actor in as a different character.
In conclusion the play Antigone was well done, the actors did a great job of incorporating the story of Antigone. The play was very emotional especially as they carried the dead bodies to the stage, of both the prince and his mother; who had committed suicide. The play was very interesting because of the way it resonated with the advance by incorporating todays modern world. The play was good and very interesting, which is important to capture todays audience.
Anders Brown
ReplyDeleteOctober 4th
Antigone Review
Antigone is a tragedy that has been performed thousands if not millions of times since being written by Sophocles almost 500 years BC. One would think that all of the performances would meld together and be so similar and dry because of how old the script is. In the University of Minnesota Duluth’s rendition of Antigone, directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, this is not the case. The show is put on in a black box theater, with intimate seating directly on either side of the rectangular stage. Shanks decided take her own twist on the ancient tragedy by employing modern elements into the costume choice. The senators in the play were wearing business attire not any different that what one would see walking into Wells Fargo. The soldier, played by Luke Harger, carried a modern gun. These choices enthralled the audience by connecting the thousand year old play with our modern society.
The acting was suberb from the start. Antigone, played by Tolu Ekisola, was so emotional and sincere with her body language that she really “became” Antigone. Creon the ruthless King, played by Ryan Richardson, was amazing as the character transitioned from the ruthless ignorant king he was, to the powerless hopeless man he became. It was interesting how quickly Creon transformed from the calm, ruthless kind to the powerless man he became. This was most likely because the play had to be edited and there wasn’t room for a slow realization, and he had to change “overnight”. This may not be true as I have not read Antigone for a long time. Harger, as mentioned above in the role as soldier, provided comic relief as he provided dry humor in his meetings with Creon that lightened the mood and got some laughs. It was very impressive how each of the actors became their role and acted so well with the audience so close. It must be difficult to stay in character and remember all of their lines with the audience on top of them like they were. It would be easy to be distracted when making eye contact with the audience if someone made a quick movement or made a funny face, so I was impressed by the focus and incredible job done by each and every one of the actors.
The director also used video at the beginning of the play which provided a unique element of presentation that engaged the audience into the environment as images of war and sounds made it come to life. It was a smooth plot, yet I wish there would have been more scene changes instead of mostly staying in Creon’s “room” or room with the senators. The black box limits this obviously, but it would have been interesting to have a cave with Antigone in it and see her death. It was slightly confusing when the senators had technology, but that just added to the modern theme that really stood out from any other performance of an ancient play that I have ever seen or heard of. It was not standard in the least, but a choice that sparked intrigue from the audience. Also, for those who have not read Antigone, it may have been confusing because the characters were not introduced and sometimes it was hard to tell at first who some of the actors were playing. Haemon, for example, walked in with no costume that would indicate he was Creon’s son and it took a minute to tell who he was. Teiresius, on the other hand, was dressed perfectly and could immediately be known as the blind prophet. The story of siding with the state or with God, has transcended time and this powerful play just reinforced this idea.
Antigone
ReplyDeleteValerie Bombard
October 10th, 2017
On Thursday night, in a small sized black box decorated with marble flooring, Jenna Soleo-Shanks, put on a powerful showing of Antigone.
This productions begins with attention grabbing scenes and a ton of momentum. Near the middle, the play is very wordy and lengthy. Definitely suggested to brush up on ancient greek literature before seeing this one. In the end, the intensity is brought back and it finishes off as a show to remember.
Antigone was played by the strong actress Tolu Ekisola. Her poise and fiercely made her a very captivating character. It is easy to feel for this woman and really get into the emotions she is feeling.
Another to stand out was Luke Harger in the role of the soldier. He added a comedic relief to the show, which was enjoyed by the crowd. He brought intelligence and wit beautifully into one character.
The director chose to have overlaps in characters the actors were playing. Some actors played multiple roles and this was confusing and a distraction. It is hard for the audience to buy into the idea of a play with characters playing multiple roles where they look the exact same. Overall, it was not very effective and many viewers were left confused.
A convincing show was put on by Lauren Hugh, playing Ismene. Fake or even potentially real tears were shed by her, causing the crowd to buy into her act.
Another act to remember was by Ryan Richardson playing Creon. Ryan had the crowd believing he really was the harsh ruler he played, most likely because of his convincingly older looks.
The senators were something the play could have done without. A few lines amongst many characters standing about the scene caused somewhat of a distraction. With the uncertainty of where to look as a viewer, often times they were seen as distracting.
With seating on both sides of the narrow strip of a stage, it was easy to be distracted by the audience members on the other side and made the show seem less intimate than it could have been.
All in all, the show could have had some minor tweaks but had an important message no one should miss.
Antigone Review
ReplyDeleteAshley Selnes
October 4th, 2017
It is such a curious thing, the progressions that a theatrical production makes over the years. Without a doubt the production of Antigone that Jenna Soleo-Shanks envisioned varies immensely from the original version that Sophocles first created. With that being said, the way that Jenna Soleo-Shanks presented her version of Antigone was indisputable remarkable.
To start off with, even from the very first scene the blocking Jenna Soleo-Shanks chose to demonstrate contributed to the show, and had to be done resourcefully so that no actor was ever “butting” the audience. The blocking done was very high-intensity, with frequent movements around the area of the stage, such as in the first scene where there was chaos and people running rampant in the streets, yet no one ran into one another. Shanks made the decision to use a set that required very little pieces, but played a lot on the power roles of the characters by having King Creon, played by Ryan Richardson, higher than any other character in almost every scene he was in, until the ending of the play came and Ismene, played by Lauren Hugh, conquered her internal struggle, achieved confidence, and accepted her fate as the new leader, therefore following in her sister’s example.
Although the directing of the play was very well done, the biggest impact on those in the audience was the level of devotion and skill level demonstrated through the actors. Tolu Ekisola, who played the character of Antigone, demonstrated this very well through an obvious ability to connect the lines she was saying with individual experiences or emotions. Ekisola clearly felt every word she said, and it was clear to see that she had put forth a lot of work and dedication into the character and the portrayal of it. Additionally, Ryan Richardson who played the character of King Creon demonstrated a highly skilled acting level through his building of intensity and character dynamic the more the story progressed.
There were also many somewhat lesser roles that were played by equally as skilled actors. Luke Harger, for example, played a few roles ranging from the soldier to a senator. Many of the other actors playing the senators were also participants in this double-casting part of the play, and for the most part it went smoothly. Harger, along with the other actors, made very good eye contact and deliverances of lines. However, the main thing that stands out as a key difference between he and some of the other actors is that he reacted to every single sentence or movement from another character, even if something as small as the shuffling of his foot.
The environment of the theatre itself was interesting because the audience was on either side of the actors. This added a more intimate feeling, and pressure on the actors because every movement was watched whether it was the right or wrong one. This unique style of area for the audience was including in the blocking of the characters, with some of the actors specifically talking to the audience as if it were a sort of council meeting.
All in all, although very different from the original, this production directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks was without a doubt a remarkable retelling of the story and all the hard work done by everyone involved clearly paid off.
Antigone Review
ReplyDeleteCollin Nordman
In college they often push for creative spirit and it may have been too much creativity in this one. The show Antigone, directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, was performed at the University of Minnesota Duluth in the Dudley Experimental Theatre. The choice of the black box theater works so well because there is no need to change the set at all and you really feel like you’re in the action.
I wasn’t sure what century this play was supposed to be in. I know that it is a play from Ancient Greece, but with the directors spin on it and trying to update the play to bring up more modern issues it just left me extremely confused and her plan to update it was a complete failure. There were graffiti peace signs as decorations as well as Black Panther posters plastered over the wall. Then on the projector there were World War II scenes, by Dan Fitzpatrick, as actors run across the dark room. Posters that make me think of the 70’s and 80’s then a video that brings me back to 1945 was very unassuring of when this play was taking place
Then the lights came on. We get to see the set designed by Leah Benson-Deine. The set was a beautiful with awesome looking marble floors and columns but the throne they chose to use was terrible. It looked like they got the throne out of an old storage locker. They didn’t even take the time to knock the dust off of it before throwing it on stage. After all; this is supposed to look large and valuable to show all the peasants that the one who sits in it is far more superior than everyone else that doesn’t. Even though the set was beautiful I don’t think it worked with what the director was trying to accomplish. This play just really didn’t have an identity or real set time period.
There were a few actors that really stood out. Starting out the king, Creon played by Ryan Richardson, was the perfect role for Ryan Richardson. He had me on the edge of my seat extremely powerful speaker that at all times fully demanded my attention. Every time he would go to speak I couldn’t look away. At one point when all of his senators started to clap after his speech I moved my hands to clap myself, luckily catching myself before this actually occurred. I heard whispers in the seats next to me that he looked exactly like Donald Trump and I really didn’t see this in him. Nor was it ever conveyed to me that he was supposed to be and I’m glad that the director decided not to go this route. That would’ve really cluttered up the whole production.
Antigone the star of the show was captured by the beautiful Tolu Ekisola. This was a great actress choice by the director which I consider the only thing the director and I agreed upon. I’m not sure if going into casting the director was looking for a black woman, but it worked very well. A powerful black women is a great choice to play the ever so classic Antigone. As the viewer you have a predisposition in today’s society to feel like she already has all the cards stacked against her. How is a black woman's words supposed to be heard over the strong white males that dominate today’s society. This really helped lift up the message that Jenna Soleo-Shanks was trying to bring up. Both the struggle of which morals are more important; yours or the ones that are made by society? Even if they don’t follow your beliefs, and just the fact of oppression that is still extremely relevant in today’s society. Even after years and years of struggles women are still oppressed especially women of color. This production brings this into the light due to the modernization of it
Overall I would say this production was okay. The director did a nice job really bringing up the original moral to the whole story of whether you should follow your beliefs and morals over the ones that are in power and create the laws. Where she fell short was trying to tie it into today’s modern society. Yes this is still super relevant, but her modern updates just didn’t work.