Antigone
by Lewis Galantiere and Jean Anouilh
directed by E R Kinnear
by arrangement with Origin Theatrical on behalf of Samuel French
a Concord Theatricals Company
Why Antigone?
Even accounting for the fact that the version I am directing is the Jean Anouilh 1942 adaptation, the story and the play itself are over 2000 years old at the time of writing.
To me, the answer is a two-fold.
The stories that last are the ones whose themes remain timeless and relevant throughout the passage of history. Take Romeo and Juliet’s tale of love and hatred or Icarus’ tale of hubris leading to downfall. The stories that last and that we keep returning to are those that resonate through time like ripples on a pond. To me, Antigone is one of those stories.
Sophocles’ original tale of rebellion and oppression, love and order has continued to be a cornerstone of drama that countless directors including myself have been fascinated by and felt compelled to return to, time and time again. Antigone loves her family and freedom, Creon loves the law, Haemon loves Antigone; love is a consistent motif in this play that feeds into the rebellion and oppression. Antigone would not rebel if she did not love, and Creon would not oppress if he did not love. And that is what keeps drawing me back to this story, the notion that love can create both euphoric freedom and dogmatic oppression.
Secondly, is tied to this particular adaptation. The Anouilh adaptation was written by a French writer living under Nazi-Occupied France. A time in which freedom was aggressively crushed under the boot of one of history’s most brutal regimes. It, on the surface, portrays Creon, the one who brutally enforces the law by any means necessary, as the only one who lives through the carnage and tragedy that unfolds over the course of the play. However, I would argue that he suffers the most, left emotionally destroyed in a derelict hell of his own making while the people, inspired by Antigone’s sacrifice have begun to revolt and turn on their newly appointed king. Antigone, the rebel, has achieved martyrdom and freedom in death, while in victory Creon has been left broken, alone and targeted. And I find the notion of presenting a play with this conclusion, these themes to an audience occupied by and ruled over by the very kind of totalitarian law makers Antigone refutes an incredibly courageous and inspiring move that deserves to be brought forward to a modern audience.
I chose to steer away from explicit and overt Nazi-esque imagery and 1940’s period costumes for this production, as while I acknowledge the context in which this adaptation was written, I wished to reflect the various dictatorships that have emerged in the 20 th and 21 st centuries from Stalin to North Korea to the Nazis. I wished to reflect that no matter what stance it takes, what Political position it holds or how invincible any dictatorship feels it is, they will all meet their downfall by the hands of the people.
I hope you enjoy this production of Antigone, which I am thrilled to present for GRADS Theatre Company in the gorgeous outdoor New Fortune Theatre.
E. R. Kinnear
DIRECTOR
E. R. Kinnear
E. R. Kinnear was born in England towards the conclusion of the last millennium in 1996, before moving to Australia in 2001 as his parents decided he was too good for Britain.
Originally being exposed to theatre in high school, he pursued Theatre into university. Completing his degree in Theatre and Live performance in 2020, he left with the aspiration of becoming an actor.
This hope was changed when he realised two things;
One – he hates being the centre of attention
Two – more importantly, he had discovered, through Uni classes, a love creating shows from the ground up and guiding a work through its entire development process.
Now firm in his passion for directing, he directed his first show Radium Girls at the Old Mill in 2022, winning the Yvonne Lynch award for best Newcomer for this endeavour. He followed this up with a well-received production of Precious Little Talent in 2023. He hopes to pursue his directing aspirations to a city beyond Perth in the coming years.
He has thrice worked with GRADS as an actor in their Summer Shakespeare seasons of Romeo and Juliet (2022), Richard III (2023) and As You Like It (2024). He is beyond delighted that GRADS Theatre Company has granted him the opportunity to present Jean Anouilh’s adaptation of Antigone. Ellis hopes you enjoy experiencing it as much as he has enjoyed crafting it with his company of immensely talented cast and crew.
CAST
KATE NAUNTON MORGAN - Antigone
Kate Naunton Morgan is an actress who has recently graduated from Curtin University with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Theatre and History. With over ten years of performance experience, Kate has built a diverse portfolio of stage and screen work. Her notable stage credits include several productions with the Hayman Theatre Company, such as The Persians, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, and The Pillowman. She has also performed in Takeaway at the Blueroom Theatre, enjoyed a sold out season of UFO at Perth FRINGE WORLD 2024, and most recently took on the leading role of Emma in Emma. Kate is delighted to take on the role of Antigone and looks forward to the challenges it will bring.
SHIVAS LINDSAY - Creon
Shivas made his theatre debut in 2018, playing Angus in Macbeth with GRADS at UWA, after being invited to lend an authentic Scottish voice to the production. Enjoying the experience immensely, he has since performed in numerous Shakespearean productions with GRADS, including Romeo and Juliet and The Merry Wives of Windsor. He has found success in playing dramatic roles such as Gus in Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter, for which he won Best Male Actor at Dramafest. In addition to his work with GRADS, Shivas has appeared in Much Ado About Nothing at Marloo Theatre, and most recently in Man From Earth at The Old Mill Theatre, which was awarded 3rd Best Play of 2023 by the Finley Awards. He is thrilled to return to the New Fortune stage as King Creon and has thoroughly enjoyed diving into this reimagined ancient tale. He hopes the audience will find themselves sympathizing with the old king’s desire to bring peace and order to Thebes.
GRACE EDWARDS - Lead Chorus
Antigone is Grace’s tenth production with GRADS, having previously appeared in As You Like It (Rosalind), Othello(Emilia), Richard III (Elizabeth), Romeo & Juliet (Benvolia), The Comedy of Errors (Dromio of Syracuse), The Merchant of Venice (Portia), A View from the Bridge (Catherine), Macbeth (First Witch), and Twelfth Night (Feste). She originally trained as a classical singer at WAAPA, where she performed operatic roles such as Jo March in Little Women and Baba in The Rake’s Progress. Some of her other favourite past roles include Hannah in Arcadia (Harbour Theatre); Miss Scarlet in Clue and Vanda in Venus in Fur (Melville Theatre); Constanze in Amadeus (Old Mill Theatre); and Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (Alexandra Theatre), for which she won the 2022 Finley Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Grace’s next project is directing a staged reading of Macbeth for the New Fortune Theatre Project this November.
MILLIE HILLMAN - Ismene
After not performing for a few years Millie made her acting debut as Harriet Smith in Emma. Millie is excited to be back on stage playing Ismene alongside her Emma co-star Kate. Millie would like to thank those close to her for their love and support.
ALEX COMSTOCK - Haemon
Graduating in 2022 from Curtin University with a Bachelor’s Degree majoring in Theatre Arts, Alex has involved himself in theatre at every opportunity. During his time at Curtin, he has performed in or crewed over a dozen ‘lunchtime’ shows and has performed in multiple major productions, all at the Hayman Theatre. Alex has also developed two of his own ‘Lunchtime Productions’, writing the script, and bringing his vision to life onstage. Since graduating, Alex has been fortunate to perform in a variety of productions. Alex has lead productions as Richard III / Gloucester in the GRADS’ production of Richard III, and George in Garrick Theatre's The York Realist, and has played supporting roles in Radium Girls, The Lisbon Traviata and The Deep Blue Sea. When not onstage, Alex can also be found hosting weekly trivia quizzes at local pubs. Though relatively new to the industry, Alex is incredibly keen to be involved in productions and to work with friends old and new.
KAITLYN BARRY - Nurse
Kaitlyn has been acting since she was 15 at Rockingham Theatre company. Kaitlyn went onto study performance art at Murdoch University and performed in shows such as Clue (2021) with Melville theatre company, Romeo and Juliet (2022) by GRADS and French without Tears by GRADS (2022), Richard III by GRADS (2023) and Dream Girls Fringe (2024). Kaitlyn is stoked to be a part of Antigone and work with the cast and crew.
HUGH MCGUIRE - Soldier One/Chorus
Hugh McGuire is a fresh, young actor who is always seeking his next big challenge. With a Diploma in Music Theatre from the Western Australian Academy of Performing arts, Hugh has propelled himself into numerous projects - taking on major roles in West Australian original theatre shows, as well as writing, directing and starring in screenplay features of his own. With aspirations to create unforgettable and highly entertaining works, Hugh claims that the key to success is always persistence, sheer determination, and his piercing blue eyes. Now, this highly versatile young man puts on a colourful display of physical comedy, masterfully playing the bumbling, and highly skittish - First Guard. With the charm of a bachelor, and the sensibility of a goat, watch him as he joins a powerhouse cast who, together, bring you the breathtaking story that is - Antigone.
MITCH MCAULLAY - Soldier Two/Chorus
Catching the theatre bug at the end of high school, Mitch McAullay jumped headfirst into the arts never looking back. He then went on to study at Notre Dame University with a double major in film and theatre studies. While studying he was involved with a musical theatre club performing as a lead in a dukebox musical, reinforcing his love for performing in more and more capacities. He continued his studies until being accepted to study the Diploma of Acting at WAAPA in 2022, training under many industry professionals and appearing in Love and Information, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui as well as performing in the Short and Sweet festival. His most recent performance was last year in Ella Hickson’s Precious Little Talent and won Harbour Theatre’s Best Actor 2023. As a self-pronounced ancient Greece nerd growing up, Mitch is incredibly excited to bring Antigone to life.
MEGAN LILLEY - Soldier Three/ Messenger/Chorus
Megan has been a part of Perth community theatre for 6 years now, appearing in both plays and musicals all across the state. Most recently, they appeared in Stirling Theatre's Irish play Lizzie's a Darlin'. Other productions include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as Leaf Coneybear with Laughing Horse Productions, The Grand Duke with The Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Romeo and Juliet with GRADS, and Addam's Family Jr as Grandma with Stirling Theatre. Megan is thrilled to back with GRADS and to have been able to put on this production with such a wonderfully talented cast.
