Sophocles’ Antigone may well have found the right time to be produced.  The story of a young girl who finds the courage to speak truth to injustice is as resonant in 2020 as it ever was. 

In this immensely bold production of a translation by Canadian poet Anne Carson, the BOV Young Company produce an incendiary blast against those in power who have the arrogance to only hear their own voices.  Kreon the King has decreed that Polyneikes must lie unburied as a traitor after the battle for Thebes.  However his grieving sister Antigone has other ideas and dares to stand up to the King with an electrifying passion. 

Lianna Cotrill perfectly captures the pure rage and self-awareness of the young girl with a steady eye and poised energy that comes from a burning and righteous anger.  It is an impressive performance that earns the plaudits showered on the cast by the cheering audience at the curtain call.  However, this is far from being a one woman show.  The whole production is daringly directed by Maisie Newman, featuring an audacious cinematic score perfectly synchronised to the stark text projected on a white backdrop.  Credit is due to the extremely high professional standards of the design by Mimi Donaldson and musical composition and sound design by Rowan Evans. Dirt is liberally scattered across the stage along with evocatively smashed pomegranates as the struggle against bad judgement intoned by bad men is played out. 

Kreon, played with authority by Alex Dickenson says that “girls cannot force their way against men”, but he is of course shown to be wrong.  The formidable Osei Johnson as Tiresias the prophet warns Kreon about the consequences, but of course powerful men are known to ignore the words of those less powerful than themselves.

Thabo Kona and Tomo Roddy deserve praise as the Guards who capture Antigone and each gets to shine in further cameos which promise much more to come.  The chorus and other supporting cast excel in the physicality and movement which runs throughout the whole play, making it a thrillingly modern experience.  The chorus deserve to be mentioned as an entirety as they contribute towards the exhilarating whole.  They are Maggie Thorn, Tyler Cooper, Kalila Mowatt, Hope Parish, Lila Stewart, Peggy Edwards and Billy Edwards. 

Daniel Forbes shines as the, at first dutiful son, who changes his mind when he realises the faults in his father’s judgement.  Peggy Edwards as Euridyke is equally convincing as his mother and Kreon’s wife who choses death rather than dishonour.

The BOV Young Company is made up of young people aged 5-25 from across Bristol and together with the creative team deserves enormous praise for producing the first highlight of 2020.  They demonstrate the power of theatre and the abiding truth that even ancient stories can reveal about the human condition.  It is more important than ever to call out injustice and remind those in power that they don’t have a monopoly on wisdom.    ★★★★☆    Bryan Mason   9^th January 2020