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Enduring magic of Greek drama

V.GANGADHAR

The immortal Antigone is being staged today in Mumbai.

What is the unique appeal of ancient Greek theatre, so much so that plays first staged thousands of years ago continue to be popular even now? Sophocles’ narration of the tragedy of King Oedipus could have been staged in the fifth century BC or even earlier, but even today our Hindi, Marathi and other regional stage never tire of staging ‘Raja Oedipus’ which deals with fatal flaws bringing about the fall of a tragic hero and the inevitability of Destiny in controlling our existence. These issues are relevant even today and that is why ‘Oedipus’ continues to be staged all over the world.

On October 12, Mumbai will have the stage presentation of yet another immortal Greek tragedy. This time, it is French playwright Jean Anouilh’s 1942 adaptation of the Sophocles classic, ‘Antigone,’ which was first performed in Athens in 5 BC. Anouilh’s version was staged in Paris in 1942 when the city was under the Nazi yoke.

‘Antigone’ is the cry of the individual against state repression and the Paris audience saw in it their own resistance to the Nazi occupation and repression. Why then did the Nazis permit the staging of such a play? Perhaps, they were influenced by the long speeches, the strong defence of dictatorship and the need for implicit obedience by one of the major characters, King Creon.

‘Antigone’ has been staged in the past, both in Marathi and Hindi, in Mumbai. The October 12 show is in English, by the MOTLEY group and produced by actor Naseeruddin Shah, a powerful force in Mumbai theatre world. Satya Dev Dubey, veteran stage personality, is directing a newer and modern adaptation of the play where the establishment is challenged by contemporary forces and ideas.
Starring Naseer

The play stars Naseer as the dictatorial King Creon and his wife Ratna Pathak Shah as his rebellious niece Antigone, daughter of the late King Oedipus. Set in Thebes, the play centres around 16-year old Antigone’s defiance of her uncle who had refused permission for the burial of her brother Polynices killed in a power struggle by his own brother. Caught in the act of trying to bury the body of Polynices, Antigone, who was in fact engaged to Haemon, son of Creon, challenges the authority of Creon, screams defiance at him thereby inviting the death penalty.

This is the eternal struggle between dictatorship and the voice of the individual which has stood the test of time. “Don’t be awed of classics, their settings and costumes. We don’t care nor does the audience” asserts Naseer during rehearsals. He had staged Chekov without wine decanters and Moliere without frills, stockings and other French paraphernalia.

The sets for ‘Antogone’ consist of a table, chair and four stools. The actors will wear loose pyjamas, robes and there is no indication that the scene of action is Thebes. MOTLEY did not have money for grand sets or costumes and would not compromise quality to offers of sponsorship. What did count was the dialogue, emotions and appeal to the audience. The production has taken liberties even with the original cast. The character of Haemon has been dropped because according to director Dubey he was not really ‘important’ despite the fact that Dubey had played Haemon in an earlier version of ‘Antigone.’ The group had been preparing for the play for over six months.

Ratna Pathak Shah is all keyed up for her return to the stage in a new role after about six years. It is a challenge for the 50-year-old mother of two to play a 16 year old rebel.