The theâtre de Jorat in Mézières on Sunday 16th of June proved to be the perfect location for an unconventional production of Anouilh's Antigone.  Many of us had studied it the previous year with Miss McHugh and were looking forward to finally seeing it on stage.  The theatre itself was an old stable that had been renovated into a charming rustic building fabricated completely out of wood.  Despite the sweltering heat of an unusually steamy Swiss June, we sat on our wooden benches anticipating the rise of the curtain.

The first scene was opened by what Anouilh had originally meant to be a "chorus" the omnipresent, all-knowing voice of reason. The director had interpreted this character in an unusual fashion, darkly humourous and forboding.  In essence, he told us the story before the action had even begun!  The other 5 characters were arranged, frozen on stage in the midst of a peculiar yet effective arrangement on top of an ascending ramp.  The chorus introduced each to us and divulged juicy tidbits of both their past and their futures.

The audience find themselves in the midst of a conflict in the royal family.  Two sons of Oedipus have apparently slain each other on the battlefield.  According to King Créon, (Oedipus's brother) one of the two is a hero, to be buried with great pomp and circumstance, yet the other is a traitor, to be left to rot.

Antigone, their loyal sister sets off to bury her own brother and defy the will of the King, her uncle, even if the punishment is certain death.  In doing so, this young heroine gives up her life, her relationships with all people close to her, to commit this one act of defiance.  Her courage in the face of death and the intricate web of politics is what renders this piece so poignant.It was an evening much enjoyed by all.

Text by Liz Abernethy, Year 12
Illustration by Georgina Harty, Year 12.