The premiere will be held at the Lesia Ukrainka National Theatre of Russian Drama (“The New Stage”). Antigone by Jean Anouilh is directed by Oleh Nikitin; set design by Oleksii Vakarchuk; costume design by Valentyna Plavun; translated from French by Vira Aheieva (theatric stage version). The actors are students of the Ivan Karpenko-Kary Kyiv National University of Theatre, Film and Television (the group of Mykhailo Reznykovych, who is also the artistic director of the play): Maria Ahapitova, Illia Ponomarenko, Olena Vechirko, Natalia Zhuk, Andrii Zhuravsky, Alina Zevakova, Anhelina Symonova, Valerii Stohnii, Hlib Suriaha, Mykyta Sterlikov, Maksym Donets, Dmytro Symonenko, Danyil Prymachov, Oleksandr Sokolenko, and Yevhen Shcherban.
Jean Anouilh was a famous French playwright who rewrote the ancient play by Sophocles in his own way; the premiere of his Antigone was held in 1943, in the German-occupied Paris. In this work Antigone symbolizes the heroic impulse, the deed for the sake of deed. The main character confronts the impeccable logic of Creon, who explains the senselessness of the sacrifice. Antigone represents the captive, yet undefeated France, ready to fight even against the voice of reason.
The play directed by Oleh Nikitin raises the questions of freedom, of the sacrifice of one’s life for the sake of high ideals, of defending one’s principles. The performance leaves some questions open. This tragedy can be perceived as a symbol of eternal conflict between the old and the new, the pragmatic wisdom of Creon and the impulse of Antigone, her heroic aspirations of youth.
