Antigone Get Your Gun
Planet Earth Multi-Cultural Theatre's Antigone 
***1/2 (out of *****)
Mark S.P. Turvin
(w) 965-1021  (h) 894-5443
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@asu.edu

	Planet Earth Theatre has a knack for the classics. Last 
season, their successful and controversial production of Lorca's 
The House of Bernarda Alba serves as an example. This year, Planet 
Earth has returned to what they do well, presenting a production 
of Sophocles' Antigone, with interesting additions and 
interpretations adapted by Peter James Cirino. 
	Imagine a dark world of rebellion and war, with warriors 
dressed from many different eras paying homage to King Creon, 
whose battlefield leadership has smashed the rebellion and 
promises to bring peace to the land ravaged by the curse of King 
Oedipus and his prophecies. In this world of curved swords and 
video cameras, guns and nun-chucks, the oldest son/brother of King 
Oedipus' has lead a rebellion to take his rightful place at the 
throne of Thebes. The younger son/brother sides with Creon. Both 
are killed in the ensuing rebellion. To teach a lesson, Creon 
orders a full burial for the loyal brother, and the body of the 
other brother to be left unburied, against the laws of the Gods. 
With this situation as a base, Oedipus' older daughter/sister, 
Antigone, must decide whether to adhere to the laws of the King, 
or to obey the higher laws of the Gods and give her brother a 
decent burial, even if that were to mean her own death.
	Mr. Cirino has directed an engaging piece of theatre. To 
update and intensify this classic, he has mixed modern and ancient 
dress, added poetry and prose from modern and ancient sources, and 
incorporated many interesting visual effects and choreography. 
Most of these images work, and some don't. Despite the hits and 
misses made by this script and production, the fact that so many 
vibrant and interesting choices were made at all is the most 
impressive part of the evening. 
	The cast is generally solid. Mr. Cirino's ability to block 
and direct 21 actors and actresses without collision on the small 
stage was impressive in its own right. Managing to establish every 
person on that stage with their own separate and interesting 
identity was another big accomplishment. Exceptional in this cast 
was Timm Rogers as Teiresias, the blind prophet who warns about 
the future but goes unheeded. He portrays the prophet as a shark-
skin suited blues traveler, sing-songing his monologues in a jazzy 
way and making what could have been long and tedious exposition 
quite enjoyable. Also very good is Per Schelde as King Creon, 
whose brash attitude and rough way of speaking would have been a 
hindrance in any other role, but work ideally in this. Christopher 
Nelson's Haemon, son to Creon and Antigone's intended, also worked 
well in his small role. Wonderful, both in textual terms and 
visually, were the Shamans of Demeter, who portray the chorus of 
the show. They were also the speakers of many of the additional 
bits of dialogue. There was only one weak performer out of the 
four, and while they worked well as the glue that held the piece 
together, some of their choreography seemed gratuitous and 
uncalled for.
	Ironically, two of the weakest actors were Mollie Kellogg 
Cirino as Antigone and Victoria Hunt as the everpresent Goddess 
Demeter, Creon's advisor. Mollie Cirino's performance was much 
bluster and brazenness, but little tenderness. She may look 
perfect for the role, but there is never a moment of indecision or 
hesitancy to give her character the benefit of the doubt, and her 
pronouncements generally stay at the same level. This doesn't work 
badly against the show, though, since Antigone spends more time 
offstage than on. More of a detriment to the show is Victoria 
Hunt, who is as over-the-top at times as a Jim Carrey performance. 
As Demeter, she has the important role of Chorus leader, but her 
scant dress, odd voice and ill-timed screams detract from some of 
the most intense moments of the show. 
	Mr. Cirino's set design worked well for the most part, 
although the use of a loose red velvet curtain on the floor may 
have looked great, but caused a couple of stumbles from the 
actors. Alex Portugal III's lighting design worked very well 
overall, but the limitations of the space sometimes got the better 
of the plan. Mollie Cirino's costume and makeup design were 
wonderful and deserved much acclaim.
	It is often a difficult task to recreate a classic and 
breathe new life into it. Mr. Cirino's attempt at an updated and 
other-worldly Antigone is very impressive. Though the script and 
performances may have had a few miscues, it's better to have tried 
and missed than not to have tried at all. 

Production Details:
Antigone by Sophocles (Adapted by Peter James Cirino)
Planet Earth Theatre, Phoenix
241-1828
January 6-February 3, 1996
Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 6 pm
$9 General, $7 Students/Seniors

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