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List of Gnatak Productions
The Island - Athol Fugard
Savages - Christopher Hampton
Sizwe Bansi is Dead - Athol Fugard
The Education of Skinny Spew - Howard Brenton
Christie in Love - Howard Brenton
Whose Line is it Anyway? - Gnatak
Fair Slaughter - Howard Baker
Men Without Shadows - Jean Paul Sartre
Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
Waiting for Godot - Samuel Beckett
Brememn Coffee - Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Woyzech - Georg Buchner
Krapp’s Last Tape - Samuel Beckett
Act Without Words - Samuel Beckett
The Anniversary - Anton Chekov
The Proposal - Anton Chekov
Camwood on the Leaves - Wole Soyinka
Jacques and His Master - Milan Kundera
Art - Yasmina Reza
True West - Sam Shepard
The Train Driver - Athol Fugard
Red - John Logan
The Leader - Eugene Ionesco

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Antigone
Antigone written by Sophocles in or before 441 BC, is a passionate tragedy of conflicts and sufferings.

After the bloody siege of Thebes by Polyneices and his allies from the neighboring Argos, the city of Thebes stands unconquered. Polyneices and his brother Eteocles are both dead, killed by each other’s sword, according to the curse of Oedipus their father. Sisters Antigone and Ismene are devastated with the news of their brothers deaths and the new order Creon is about to declare regarding the burials of Polyneices and Eteocles.

Creon the newly appointed King declares that Eteocles who died defending the state should be buried with full state honors - a burial fitting for a hero. But the body of Polyneices who died defying the state should be left to rot and for carrion to devour; anyone attempting to bury Polynices would be publicly stoned to death.

Antigone who defies the order tries to bury Polyneices is caught and brought before Creon. She makes an impassioned plea declaring that Creon’s order is against the laws of the Gods and that Creon has no authority to refuse the dead their due. Enraged by Antigone’s refusal to submit to authority he declares that she should be imprisoned in a sealed tomb with just food enough to barely keep her alive so that she may live among the dead.
Haemon, Creon’s son who was to marry  Antigone advises his father to reconsider his decision Creon accuses his son of unmanly weakness and siding with a woman. Haemon accuses his father of arrogance and leaves in anger swearing never to return.

Tiresias the blind prophet warns Creon that the Gods disapprove of leaving Polynices body unburied and will punish the King’s impiety with the death of his own son. Creon reconsiders and decides to bury Polynices and free Antigone. But Creon’s change of heart comes too late, Antigone hangs herself and in grief Haemon kills himself. Alone in despair, Creon accepts responsibility for all that has happened and prays for a quick death.

The play ends with a somber advice from the chorus that Pride will be punished by the blows of Fate.

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Director’s Note
Much of the symbolism in Antigone, lies in the characters themselves. The conflicts represent a number of opposing forces, male vs female, moral rightness vs civic duty, family ties vs power of authority, religiosity vs the state.
This production highlights the relevance of these conflicts in today’s world.

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About the Director
Abraham is a founding member of Gnatak. He has worked as an actor, director, lighting technician and stage hand for a number of productions over the last 30 years. Apart from working with Padmabhushan Sri Kavalam Narayana Pannikker for over 20 years, Abraham has also worked extensively with Tamil and Malayalam regional theatre. Through his four decade long involvement with performing arts, Abraham has collaborated with many dance and threatre groups including Daksha Seth and Samudra Centre for Contemporary Performing Arts.

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Director - KT Abraham

Choreography -
Nakula Somana
Ainesh Madan

Sound Design and
Background Score -
Jo Panicker

Creon - Michael Joseph
Chorus - Rohit Dave
Antigone - Mritika Chattopadhyay
Haemon - Sahil Sen
Gaurd - Tushar Tyagi
Tiresias - Prithesh Bhandari

Movement Ensemble
Priya Kaul
Tushar Tyagi
Prithesh Bhandari
Shikha Chowhan
Darshan
Labaan

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