‘Antigone’ Hits Local Stage

Sophocles Play Runs Sept. 16-19.

GREAT classical theatre will make its present felt here this summer as Landmark Events gets set to produce the play, “Antigone”, written in 441 B.C. by Greek playwright, Sophocles.

Summarily, the play is based on its namesake, Antigone, a young girl faced with the dilemma of burying her brother who has died in battle. The king declared that since he had fought on the wrong side, he should not be buried, that it was against the law of the State to bury him.

As it turns out, Antigone’s other brother who also dies in battle but had fought on the right side, was given full military honours and the State recognized his valour. Antigone, therefore, is torn between celebrating the heroism of one brother and denying that of the other simply because he happened to fight on the other side.

Because of the nature of its timeless message, “Antigone” has been performed by repertory companies all over the world and in many languages.

The play will be staged at Samaans Park from September 16 to 19 from 8:00 p.m. each day and directed by Alvin Hippolyte, a former Director of Culture. Hippolyte has also directed another acclaimed play, “For Coloured Girls”, in 2010. The cast will comprise a dynamic mix of actors and actresses with production support provided by Landmark Events.

Landmarks Events’ Adrian Augier says the play’s strengths are the timelessness and universality of its message which is really about how political power is to be contained and interpreted. According to Augier, it’s also about how the average person reacts in the face of unfair laws and unjust decisions.

“When you bring that scenario into the context of contemporary Caribbean politics, it is amazing how timely this continues to be given the fact that it was written nearly 2,500 years ago. You ask yourself, ‘How far have we come?’ Consider where we stand in Saint Lucia right now, our political system – as is the case with many other Caribbean societies – is not really yielding us the kind of results we would like politically, socially and economically,” Augier explains.

Augier, an economist, poet and director, says the Caribbean is very much in the doldrums of economic growth and prosperity. He cited the plan for changing of Saint Lucia’s electoral boundaries and the current debate on the Constitution Report Commission’s report which, he asserts, “shows very little promise of being resolved in any progressive way.”

“The politicians have in fact bulwarked themselves against a lot of the more progressive suggestions coming out of a report which, they say, was prepared so wonderfully by an esteemed judge in whom we are all pleased,” Augier says.

Divisions run deep in “Antigone” and Augier believes next month’s staging of the play here is a must-see for those who appreciate great theatre and riveting themes that expose society’s flaws. The play, he adds, underscores the harsh realities of Saint Lucian life.

“You can also see what’s happening elsewhere in the country when there is political division between families and villages,” Augier asserts. “You are reminded how timeless Sophocles’ masterpiece continues to be.”