Gigi Guizado delivers an astonishingly powerful performance, bringing to life a burning sense of justice that is as politically relevant today as it was in Ancient Greece.summary
Rating
Good
Barons Court Theatre, a small room underneath The Curtains Up pub in Barons Court, seems at first like an inauspicious place for the revival of a seminal work of Peruvian theatre, but the dark room is an ideal setting for one of the most devastating of Greek tragedies.
This is the setting for Antígona, a one-woman version of the Ancient Greek tragedy Antigone, by José Watanabe, a much-celebrated Peruvian poet. This version was translated into English by Cristina Pérez Díaz and is performed by Gigi Guizado. Sophocles’ original is an intense and politically charged story of grief and defiance, and as I sit in the intimate auditorium, it’s exciting to see the modern political dimension that this famous Peruvian poet brought to the play.
In terms of this being a one-woman version of Antigone, Antígona is a great success. Guizado delivers a blistering performance. She is passionate, confidently switches between multiple roles and makes real the burning desire for justice that the eponymous protagonist seeks when demanding that she bury her brother, fallen in combat against Thebes.
The strongest moment is Antígona’s tragic death, walled up inside a cave, which is vividly brought to life by Guizado. As the stage lighting dips low, the cold and dark room under the pub feels like a tomb as Guizado transports the audience to this dark world of isolation and suffering.
A lot of characters and events are effectively compressed down to an hour. Small costume changes, such as putting on a clock to represent the king of Thebes or carrying a staff to represent a soldier, make each character distinct and the narrative easier to follow. Guizado is also very effective in varying her voice and mannerisms to distinguish each character.
This adaptation finds the philosophical essence of Sophocles’ original and brings to life the conflict between the political law of Thebes and the natural justice (or justice of the gods) that Antígona adheres to when she demands that her brother be buried. This is achieved through Guizado bringing to life Antígona’s vehement cries for justice and the stern opposition of the authority she rails against.
I can see the modern political relevance of this story. Through Guizado, I felt the fervent struggle for justice against indifferent authority. She animates the arguments for a natural justice that transcends politics.
However, audiences might struggle to follow the story if they are not already familiar with Sophocles’ original. My own understanding of the political importance of this version comes from reading around this translation. Attendees are given information about a new English language publication of Antígona, which includes a critical essay, making the modern political context of this text more apparent. From just watching Antígona, and without understanding of the philosophical question Sophocles is exploring, a lot of this could be lost on the audience.
It is Guizado’s astonishingly powerful performance that brings to life the titanic struggle for justice for Antígona’s fallen brother. On this basis, Antígona is a complete success.
Written by José Watanabe
Based on Antigone by Sophocles
Translated by Cristina Pérez Díaz
Directed by Sarah O’Connell
Antígona plays at Barons Court Theatre until 13 July.
