Antigone Journal 1

Staging

I envision the staging of this play to be quite simple. I believe that there are no elaborate props, settings, or groups of people.

The setting seems to be quite simple. I picture it being indoors, like the indoors of some sort of castle. However, I envision it being a casual setting. Perhaps, a smaller room with stairs leading down into a "pit" where there is a table and a few chairs and stool. The room is meant to give off a casual and personal feel to the reader. The arches on the other hand contrast that casual feel. The arches serve as a reminder that the setting is in fact in a castle, where royalty is present. Royalty typically has a serious side to it, because they are in fact in charge of ruling a country. The setting in the first few pages gives off a simple, casual feel, but also has subtle reminders as to who the characters actually are.

Another aspect to setting would of course be the time period in which the story would be taking place. Instead of it being a modern adaption as some plays are, I would have it be more realistic. By having the play take place ages ago, the play gains a certain level of seriousness and credibility. This credibility causes the audience to become more engaged. Of course, everything would have to be of the time period; the actors' clothes, the building, and the props would all have to be of the time period in order to ensure it being completely realistic.

I think that the chorus is actually just one person. I believe this because the stage directions refer to the chorus simply as "he" (5). The use of a one-man chorus stays with the overall theme of simplicity that is apparent throughout the first few pages of the play. The use of a one-man chorus creates casual undertones and relaxes the audience more than if there were a more elaborate, larger chorus.