Good Defeats Evil in the Triumph of Antigone
Last week saw the culmination of weeks of hard work, with three performances of the Senior School production, Antigone.
This powerful production was a contemporary re-telling of Sophocles' classic tale of the desire for power over tolerance and kindness. King’s Director of Drama, Mrs Copeland-Jordan, worked with the talented cast and production team to create an engaging and emotional piece, which left our audiences moved by their performances.
Antigone tells the story of a family, broken by differing beliefs and desires. At the start of our tragedy the body count is already at two; Antigone’s parents, Oedipus (who married his mother and killed his father) and Jocasta are dead, by their own hands, and power has descended to Polynices and Eteocles, Oedipus’ sons (Antigone’s brothers). However, nothing in this tale is straightforward and they are at war with each other. Eteocles supports Creon (Oedipus’ brother) and his aim for absolute power, whilst Polynices wants freedom of thought and rights for all. The two brothers go to war against each other and die; Creon, the uncle, assumes the role of leader. He proclaims that none shall mourn or bury the body of Polynices who fought against him; any that do shall face death. Enter Antigone. This fierce, strong, single-minded girl will not allow Creon to flout the laws of heaven that she holds so dear, and she vows to bury her brother’s body.
The decision was made to set this production of Antigone in the modern day rather than Ancient Greece, based on the belief that the story transgresses the period in which it was written. It serves as a reminder to the audience what happens when a desire for power and outright rule exceeds understanding, tolerance and kindness and of how we all have a responsibility to stand up and protect one another. While Antigone is certainly flawed, she personifies the strength and courage needed to counter those seeking to rule with fear and violence. It is touching to see how even in the twenty-first century, despite continuous threats from oppressive forces, there are thankfully still Antigones left in the world willing to fight for what they believe in. It therefore seems that the story continues to be just as powerful and as relevant in the modern day as it was back in the time of Ancient Greece.
With this in mind, we held a collection after each performance for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal, which is supporting at least 2 million people who have fled their homes to escape the conflict. Thank you to everyone who so generously donated and helped us to raise £870.
A selection of photos of the play can be viewed in the gallery below. The photos were taken at the Dress Rehearsal when Annie Garcia-Rodriquez, who played Antigone, was unfortunately unwell and her role was played by Mrs Copeland-Jordan.
