Antigone: School Play 2022

‘After two years of cancelled school plays, being able to work on and finally perform Antigone was an incredible and special experience for all cast and crew involved. The most memorable experience was the first full run-through, getting to watch the play come together for the first time with some many incredible actors! I’d like to thank all of the cast members for putting in such hard work and being open to trying new things, and, of course, Ms Bye, who put in the most effort out of all of us to deliver an incredible, entertaining, and meaningful performance.’ Charlotte, Drama Captain

After two long years without a Fintona School Play, this year we were proud to present Jean Anouilh’s famous reinterpretation of Antigone. This powerful and timeless play presents the audience with a central challenging provocation, how far would you go to do what you think is right? Antigone’s fierce determination to honour her brother and Creon’s equally certain desire to stop her and protect the rule of law engendered thoughtful and intelligent debate from both the cast and audience.

Despite rehearsals being affected by COVID absences, the wonderful cast and crew of 24 students from Year 8 to Year 12, pulled together, supported one another and showed incredible commitment and dedication to bring the play to the stage from 3 – 6 May.

It was my great pleasure to work with students who performed on stage and those working tirelessly behind the scenes on the production. I appreciated the girls’ openness to new theatrical ideas, starting with our traverse stage with the silver reflective floor, and continuing with the merging of different time periods in costuming and props. The play was also an opportunity for the cast to bring together their knowledge of history, politics, language, literature and philosophy in a theatrical context to forge their own interpretations of characters and the play’s overall meaning. This is when the theatre is truly exciting, when it is intellectually challenging and aesthetically engaging.

The School Play holds a very special place in the lives and memories of Fintonians, and I hope that Antigone is a memory that everyone involved, and those in the audience, takes with them as a highlight of 2022.

Bronwyn Bye

Drama Learning Leader / Director

Antigone was presented by arrangement with OriginTM Theatrical on behalf of Samuel French, a Concord Theatricals Company.