Play name
Antigone
By Sophocles, adapted by Don Taylor
Director and Contact Details
Rose Loakes
rosealoakes@gmail.com
Playing dates
18th-22nd November; Matinee and evening performances on Saturday 21st November; please note the Sunday the performance will start at 18-45 (TBC)
Get-in and Strike
Get-in Sunday 15th November ; Strike Monday 23rd November
Venue
Bromley Little Theatre ‘In the Bar’
Audition
Sunday 12th April at 2:00pm
About the play
The new King Creon is desperate to gain control over a city ravaged by civil war and refuses to bury the body of Antigone’s rebellious brother. Outraged, she defies him and honours her brother. Creon takes action against her, risking the wrath of the gods. Antigone manages to encapsulate the essential conflicts between politics, power, the rights of the individual and common humanity. A powerfully insightful script has the intensity to ignite our emotions in the very best tradition of Greek tragedy.
Time
The present
Location
Various locations
Style and Genre
Greek tragedy in a modern political setting
Characters
Warning: size of role is based on amount of time on stage, many characters are only around for one or two “scenes” but, with the exception of Eurydice, have at least one monologue each. However, all roles should expect to be given lines from the CHORUS, so all will have a decent share of the lines and will need to be prepared for choral work.
Female Roles
Antigone – LARGE ROLE – Playing age 18–26
Passionate, intelligent young woman who ultimately wants to fight for what is fair and just, even if it means breaking the rules. Antigone is a headstrong and stubborn. When she makes her choice to defy Creon and bury her brothers, she is willing to risk everything, whatever the cost, and whomever it might hurt. (People considering this role must be comfortable learning multiple monologues)
Ismene – MEDIUM ROLE – Playing age 18–26
Unlike her sister, Ismene has a more timid disposition. She also feels the weight of the injustice against her brother’s burial but is unwilling the risk the punishment of pushing back. Ismene is protective of her sister and tries to placate both Antigone and Creon. But does she choose to walk the careful path for Antigone’s comfort or for her own?
Eurydice – SMALL ROLE – Playing age 40’s to 60’s
Eurydice is a very small role but it’s the lynchpin in capturing the emotional punch at the end of the play. As this is a small role so it will likely be paired with a larger participation in choral work particularly at the beginning of the play.
Male Roles
Creon – LARGE ROLE – Playing age 40’s to 60’s
Newly appointed King of Thebes, Creon, is capture in the battle between morality and law. He struggles to establish power to appease the many while sparing more tragedy from the few, his own family. Creon, like his niece, is stubborn and hot-headed but is at his heart a family man. This is a huge role which needs care for light and shade and someone who is comfortable learning multiple monologues. This role will not be expected to learn any chorus lines.
Haemon – MEDIUM ROLE – Playing age 18–26
Haemon is Creon’s only son and Antigone’s betrothed (remember this is Ancient Greece) and appears in the latter half of the play. He is a romantic and deeply emotional in a way unlike his father. He is so in love with Antigone that he begs his father to spare her fate hoping that his father might cherish family more than power.
Teiresias – MEDIUM ROLE – Playing age 50’s to 60’s
Teiresias is a blind prophet also featuring in the latter half of the play. Despite being a mouthpiece for the gods, he is a grounded character, reminding Creon that there is more to like and humanity than the rules of men. He has poetic prophecies that describe the terrible outcomes if Creon makes the wrong decisions, which does mean people considering this role will need to be comfortable remembering a few impassioned monologues.
Other
Soldier/Messenger – SMALL/MEDIUM ROLE – Any age
Both roles have two monologues containing important information and exposition, potential to be a multi-role. SOLDIER is an over-talkative character who is only looking out for themselves, with comedic potential. MESSENGER has a more sombre character, nervous to relay what lies within their letter.
Chorus/Guards/Soldiers/Attendants – Any age
Depending on cast size and playing space, I may need additional bodies to help fill out the chorus and act as guards and soldiers in multiple scenes. These won’t be individual roles so you will need to feel comfortable to just participate in choral work.
Audition pieces
Please contact the director.