{"id":17494,"date":"2015-04-13T18:15:59","date_gmt":"2015-04-14T01:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=17494"},"modified":"2015-04-13T18:43:09","modified_gmt":"2015-04-14T01:43:09","slug":"antigonick-spellbinds-the-audience-at-shotgun-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/antigonick-spellbinds-the-audience-at-shotgun-players\/","title":{"rendered":"Antigonick \u2018spellbinds\u2019 the audience at Shotgun Players"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Foreground Left to Right: Parker Murphy as Nick and Rami Margron* as Antigone. Background: Kevin Clarke* as Kreon, David Sinaiko as The Chorus<\/p><\/div>\n

ANTIGONICK: A translation of Sophokles\u2019 Antigone by Anne Carson. Co-directed by Mark Jackson & Hope Mohr. Shotgun Players, Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org<\/a>. EXTENDED to May 3, 2015!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Antigonick<\/em> \u2018spellbinds\u2019 the audience at Shotgun Players. [rating:4]\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

The multitalented Anne Carson (world-class poet, classicist and MacArthur \u201cgenius\u201d fellowship winner) in 2012 wrote a new truncated translation of the Greek masterpiece \u201cAntigone.\u201d With her collaborator Robert Currie they published a beautiful book on hand-inked pages with impressionistic drawings by Bianca Stone. The Shotgun Players under the guidance of the ever inventive director Mark Jackson have used that book (script) to mount the present version exploding on the Ashby Stage. Jackson shares the accolades with co-director Hope Mohr who choreographed the play creating stunning dance movements that are integral to and expand the text.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The words are exiguous but as delivered by a superlative cast carries more meaning than reams of text. After a very raucous introduction by Antigone (Rami Margron)<\/em> and her sister Ismene (Monique Jenkinson)<\/em> outlining the basic conflict within the play the Chorus of old Theban men compressed into one portrayed by the superlative David Sinaiko begins his commentary on the action.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Antigone is engaged to marry Haimon (Kenny Toll) the son of Kreon (Kevin Clarke) the King of Thebes. Antigone and Ismene\u2019s two brothers have slain each other fighting on opposite sides of the conflict for control of Thebes. Kreon believes that one brother is a traitor and refuses to bury him. Antigone convinces Ismene that it is familial duty to bury their brother. Thus the conflict between personal duties versus the will of the State is established leading to the inexorable death to members of both families.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rather than explore the ethical questions ingrained in Sophocles\u2019 play, the author allows each protagonist to express and justify their view points with non-judgmental commentary by the Chorus. It is the powerful modernistic dancing, staging and dramatic music that intensifies the 75 minute tour de force performance piece.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The title of the play is an idiosyncratic conceit by the author who has created a non-speaking part for \u201cNick\u201d who remains on stage throughout the play and \u201cmeasures things.\u201d The most obvious measurement is of time . . . as in the \u201cnick of time.\u201d He is dressed in white, using stylistic measured movements that intermingle with actors giving questionable significance to his purpose.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All this plays out on a bare set resembling a curved highly polished wall of a skateboard arena. This may be symbolic of the characters inability to escape the confines of their intellectual and physical entrapment.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The physicality of the direction by Jackson and Mohr is extremely demanding and all members of the cast perform admirably. However, there are times when that physicality overshadows some very significant dialog. On the Sunday matinee of this performance there was very, very appreciative applause but did not gain a standing ovation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

CAST: Kevin Clarke, Kreon; Monique Jenkinson, Ismene \/ Eurydike; Rami Margron, Antigone \/ Teiresias; Parker Murphy, Nick; David Sinaiko, Chorus; Kenny Toll, Haimon \/ Guard \/Messenger; Megan Trout, Understudy for Ismene \/ Eurydike (Performing March 19 – 21) & Antigone \/ Teiresias ; Soren Santos, Understudy for Haimon \/ Guard \/ Messenger & Nick<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

PRODUCTION TEAM: Nina Ball, Set Design; Christina Bauer, Production Assistant; Stephanie Buchner, Light Design; Christine Crook, Costume Design; Theodore J.H. Hulsker, Sound Design; Mark Jackson, Co-Director; Anne Kendall, Technical Director; Hope Mohr, Co-Director; Kirsten Royston, Properties Design; Katherine Bickford, Stage Manager.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Kedar K. Adour, MD<\/strong><\/p>\n

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Foreground Left to Right: Parker Murphy as Nick and Rami Margron* as Antigone. Background: Kevin Clarke* as Kreon, David Sinaiko as The Chorus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ANTIGONICK: A translation of Sophokles\u2019 Antigone by Anne Carson. Co-directed by Mark Jackson & Hope Mohr. Shotgun Players, Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org. EXTENDED to May…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-17494","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-kedar-k-adour"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"