Antigone
REGENT'S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE
A torn family. A hostile state. One heroic brother. One misguided son. One conflicted sister, and the second is on the run.
A blistering retelling of the epic story from the writer of Barber Shop Chronicles, Inua Ellams.
Antigone was my final production as Stage Technician at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre as part of their 2022 summer season, and my first time working on a large-scale play which contrasted in many ways to the two musicals I had previously worked on at the park.
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A new show coming in also meant working with another set of new creatives and cast, as well as working closely with the new team of stage management and helping them to get to grips with the space.
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My track was considerably less busy than it had been in previous shows however incorporated some very interesting cues including carrying a 'coffin' onstage in costume, manoeuvring large, pink set pieces made of foam (which by no means made them less heavy!), preparing and setting flares for the end of the show and operating and overseeing the fire.
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Rhianna Dorris, Joseph Prouse and Abe Jarman waiting for their cue in Stage Left.
The show relay from the sound hut during a matinee, featuring the mic plot for the show.
A rained-off evening performance.
The fire during Nadeem Islam's entrance as Polynieces.
Due to this being the final show of the season and running into September, this was the show that encountered the most difficulties in regard to the weather. So, the fact that my show plot was so sporadic came in handy when having to manage the rain.
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The set for this show was also very different to those of the previous two shows and was much more open, meaning audiences had a much clear view into the wings/backstage, therefore in the pre-production period mine and my stage crew's main focus was masking the area as best we could to draw attention away and pull focus back towards the main stage.
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All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my time on Antigone and found it to be the best way to end my time with Regent's Park for a truly brilliant season of shows.
PROFESSIONAL SHOTS by HELEN MURRAY
