''ANTIGONA" REVIEW

SOLEDAD BARRIO AND
NOCHE FLAMENCA
Presents

"ANTIGONA"

Adapted& Directed by Martin Santangelo
Choreography by Soledad Barrio
At West Park Presbyterian Church, (165 W 86th Street ) Till January 23rd

REVIEWED
BY
BINA SHARIF

Sophocles wrote a fatal tragedy in which the fate of the characters is determined  by destiny.
In,"ANTIGONA" the flamenco and the story of Antigone combined with the most passionate
music, movement, lament, the soulful chants and Soledad Barrio's dance which is un-matched
by any dancer living or dead gives us chills and make our souls so touched with the desire of changing that destiny and make Soledad Barrio's Antigona live for ever and ever  and dance for ever and ever....
but alas the story's tragic end is controlled by fate and who are we to change that fate but experiencing this, AMAZING, FANTASTIC, EXTREMELY POWERFUL, PASSIONATE
PRODUCTION,  THE FATE OF DANCE AND TRAGEDY IS CHANGED FOR ME FOREVER.
NO ONE IN MY VIEW CAN EVER DANCE BETTER THAN SOLEDAD  BARRIO AND NO ONE CAN  SING, LAMENT AND PLAY MUSIC BETTER THAN THE MUSICIANS IN THIS
AMAZINGLY MOVING PRODUCTION OF, "ANTGONA."

I saw this play a few days ago and I still imagine myself sitting in that ancient church and shivering with emotions stirred by such high talent and power of that blazing talent and craft that I can't stop
shivering still. My friend who accompanied me is an Australian living in London who is a passionate theater goer and he feels exactly the same.  He said that it was the best experience of his stay in NY
and he has never seen any dancer better than Soledad Barrio in the whole world.
(Believe me, he did go to Broadway a few times)

The story of Antigone by Sophocles is of family, power, politics and of never ending blood shed.
Its amazing how relevant the story seems in today's politics and wars and un-rest.

Antigona is based on that very story of myths about the children of Oedipus, the king of Thebes who kills his father and marries his own mother.
After the death of Oedipus, his sons Polyneices and Eteocles, fight with each other for power grabs and are both killed.  Creon, their uncle becomes the king of Thebes and refuse to bury the corpse of Polyneices whom he considers a traitor and buries the other brother with honors.
Antigone defies the king and buries her brother.  The brother's corpse is un-buried again by the king's guards and Antigone buries him again, is caught this time and ordered to be buried alive in a cave.
Creon's son who is in love with Antigone pleads with the king to spare her life but the tragedy is waiting in the wings and eventually the house of Creon is destroyed.
Tiresis, a blind prophet, ( "SUPERB"Pepe El Bocadillo ) pleads with the king and reminds him of the wrath of gods for murdering his own flesh and blood but Creon pays no attention and then its too late for him too.

I have always loved this story not because I am fatalistic but the power of the story and its relevance with the nature of man and his search for power and glory and its eventual elements of destruction
reminds me of the power of gods and the myth of destiny which warns me to be a kinder and caring person and my utmost joy is always not wanting a throne but having a great experience when I am watching the art in its sublime form and "ANTIGONA" was that for me. "SUBLIME"

Every one in this haunting production was great but Tieresis, the blind prophet played by Pepe El Bocadilio and,  Juan Ogalla, (Haemon) were superb.
And Soledad Barrio, I wish I can watch her and watch her and watch her and I won't want anything more in my artistic search and its pleasures.

Also a great job by Martin Santangelo, the director, artistic director and the lucky husband of Soledad Barrio

Reviewed by Bina Sharif for
artsinternational
artsinternational.blogspot.com
binashariff@gmail.com
Cell: 212-260-6207
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