I found a lot to think about in this performance. The set was interesting in itself, so was the off-beat beauty of the translation, and the actors were immensely skilled. I was constantly intrigued by the staging (the parallel between the rectangular door and the rectangular grave, the phases of the disk of the sun/moon). the way actors went in and out of the Chorus, the play between the classic and modern. But I wonder if it was meant to be so cerebral? it was that, even for me, and my companion was not unhappy to have seen it but puzzled. I was dismayed by the audience laughing at Creon’s line “the sacrilege that I call public policy”–which for me is the center of the play. There are many ways of thinking about the ethical dilemmas it poses–but the one that is most alive for me is: what is our responsibility as individual citizens of a state that does wrong? oppose it, yes–but is Antigone right to wreck her life? or is her absolutism the mirror of Creon’s, demonstrated by the collateral damage (Haimon, then Eurydice–). It’s pretty marvelous that the play works after 2500 years.

Thank you for the information about the encores–always appreciate that UMS folks do that, and in fact last night could not hear.

Wonderful concert.

Terrific concert.

It would be much appreciated if some musically knowledgeable person, or someone from UMS, could post what the encores were. Thank you.

Vijay Iyer and his trio were wonderful–I don’t think music gets much better than that. I love the recordings but hearing them live was incredible.

Please bring them back soon!

Thanks to UMS for bringing this work to us. Will hope for more like it next year. –Having seen Midsummer Night's Dream just this past summer in the Arb made a lot of interesting connections!

The playwright has a great blog–it's all interesting but to read his comments on Ann Arbor, scroll down to September 10 & then also read the next entry, for Sept 18, which has more. Looking at the slideshow of the photos he took is an interesting way to see a Scottish view of Ann Arbor (and they are good photographs).

Yes, I think the older crowd went to the early show! We did, and enjoyed it a lot. Does anyone know what the song they did as an encore (that show, 7 pm) was? It was one of the best.