Antigonón, un contingente épico

Reviewed by Vanessa Cate
Teatro El Público
Closed

Antigone has long been the quintessential symbol for an unapologetic voice standing up against unreasonable oppression. Harkening back to the Classical period in Greece, Sophocles’ famous feminist, who was based on the mythological character by the same name, defied the will of King Creon when he forbade the burial of her dead brother, Polynices.

But don’t expect a literal retelling of the classic tragedy Antigone by the Cuban theatre company Teatro El Público. Rather, their Antigonón, un contingente épico connects to the common central themes of war, revolution and human need as expressed by the poet José Martí, who championed the Cuban Independence Movement in their defiance of Spanish rule in the late nineteenth century.

In this very dense and surreal evening, it is best not to expect any plot per se, but rather an impressionistic and theatrical framework within which to enjoy Martí’s raw, hungry and politically charged poetry.

Doing some heavy lifting in the performance department are five incredible actors: Giselda Calero, Daysi Forcade, Luis Manuel Álvarez, Roberto Espinosa, and Linnet Hernández. Together, they form a remarkably striking and gender-fluid ensemble — serving as monologists, dancers, a Greek chorus, and fashionistas (wearing Celia Ledón and Robertiko Ramos’s jaw-dropping haute couture costumes).

The evening is a bit cerebral, as translations of Cuban poetry are projected onto a screen at a clipped pace, and absorbing in tandem with the avant-garde staging can be a challenge. Not everything lands, but what does is extraordinarily affecting. And while it’s a stylistic outlier, the introductory dance, performed in the nude without musical accompaniment by four of the performers and choreographed by Xenia Cruz and Sandra Remy, was particularly elegant and engaging.

Teatro El Público at REDCAT, 631 West 2nd Street Los Angeles, CA 90012; Closed.; www.redcat.org Running time: 80 minutes with no intermission