Antigone

Written by Sophocles
Directed by Declan Donnelan

The Old Vic, London, 1999

 

Reviews

"Last night, my own eyes, mind, heart were left reeling by Jonathan Hyde's Creon, once-great ruler of Thebes, as he pulled his dead son towards the bier containing his dead wife, howling, mewing, uttering authentically antique cries of alai and clutching the hands of the loved ones he had driven to suicide.  It was a strikingly human climax to  a spare, at times austere production.  But Hyde plays only one role and I ended up feeling the play was primarily about his hubris, his punishment, his suffering.  Maybe its title should have been Creon." -- Benedict Nightingale, The Times

"In this production, it is Mr Hyde's masterfully patrician Creon who proves to be the dramatic centre and lynch pin of the play, providing its only subtle performance." -- The Express

". . . the resonant richness of Jonathan Hyde's performance as Creon, the production's triumph.  He has superb authority, moving from pragmatic statesmanship through tyranny to terrible howls of grief as tragedy overwhelms him at the end.  Here, for the first time, one experiences the raw intensity of Greek tragedy at its most potent." -- The Daily Telegraph

"Creon, regally and daringly played by Jonathan Hyde." -- The Daily Mail

"The outstanding performance comes from Jonathan Hyde as Creon.  Hyde has a commanding presence and a rich voice.  The case he expounds makes perfect sense . . . there is always Jonathan Hyde."  -- Sunday Telegraph

"Jonathan Hyde is a potent Creon." -- Mail on Sunday

"Jonathan Hyde as Creon is similarly unshakeable in his self-belief and, using his rich bass voice to good effect, initially comes over as the smooth politician.  And yet his intentions are not dishonourable . . . Jonathan Hyde is commanding and dignified and cracks apart impressively as he realises his mistake."  -- Financial Times

"The honours go to Jonathan Hyde as Creon.  It is he who points up the parallels the director finds in current events going on a few hundred miles fro where this tragedy takes place.  And it is he who pinpoints the dilemma at the play's core."  -- Stage, This Week

"Jonathan Hyde shows each stage of Creon's decline with appalling clarity  He lets you see that contact with Antigen brings all his weaknesses catastrophically to the surface . . . this is tragedy at its uttermost."  -- The Independent