As a designer, how would you use set, lighting, and sound effects to enhance the dramatic effectiveness of the section of the play that starts with Tiresias being led on and ends with Creons hasty exit to release Antigone?

Antigone Design Question

As a designer, how would you use set, lighting, and sound effects to enhance the dramatic effectiveness of the section of the play that starts with Tiresias being led on and ends with Creon’s hasty exit to release Antigone?

Antigone is a tragedy written by Sophocles in 441BC. The protagonist is a power hungry tyrant called Creon, who dictates the city of Thebes. I would set the play in ancient Greece to keep the relevance of the ancient Gods , as they were significant at the time but are seen as myths today, so would detract from the severity of the situation.

In terms of my set as Creon likes to be seen as the only figure of authority and sees himself more powerful than the God’s themselves. “If golden eagles should carry him up by joints and shreds to Zeus…not even that blasphemy would be enough to deflect me from my purpose.” would have it set in a main hall in Creon’s palace. I would symbolise Creon’s hubris shown several times through the play “Am I expected to listen and take lessons at my age from a mere boy.”  I would show this arrogance and self-pride through the opulence and grandeur of the room, using lots of coloured elements of gold to show wealth, and Greek podium to show the importance of the building and the stone would show historical Greek architecture. I would use red silky drapes over a podium for Creon, which would connote authority and war, it is also and expensive colour and material to show Creon is superficial and like to assert his power not only verbally but aesthetically.  I would have all the hall looks as if it had just being renovated by having some wooden scaffolding around block stair for the chorus this would also suggest he has recently come into power as Oedipus has just passed away therefore he has taken over the palace. However there would be existing statues of the gods in the background that are old and deteriorating. This shows that Creon had no respect or concern for the Gods and only himself, as he selfishly only wanted show the importance he bestowed through his furnishings, whilst visually detracting power from the Gods. I would also have a significantly larger statue of Creon in the forefront of the Gods, to not only show he puts himself first but the large size indicates his insecurity and that he has to prove himself and his importance. Creon’s insecurities can be seen when he says “Even iron you know, left too long in the fire, it becomes over tempered and will snap…” As this quote foreshadows the ending due to Creon’s hamartia, I would have the statue snap as he said, when Tiresias is in contact with the angry gods. Showing the Gods are in control of Creon.