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Miquiztli (death and mortality) takes center stage in the Latino Theater Company and Getty Villa\u2019s co-production<\/a> of ANTIGONE: IN THE LANGUAGE OF KINGS.\u00a0 This gender-neutral, Mesoamerican, Aztec concept-as-figure, casts a decidedly mixed view over the story by its imagery alone.<\/p>\n There was a moment that struck me in Evelina Fernandez\u2019s adaptation of Antigone for the Getty Villa\u2019s Annual Outdoor Performance.\u00a0 A keynote that remains intact from the Greek original, that plays out when the women of the city (chorus) tell Antigone that they are not as strong as men. It is a repetitive (gender) sub-theme in Sophocles\u2019 play, pronounced in this production.\u00a0 One that Antigone wholly rejects.\u00a0 For upon hearing this, she swiftly rebukes them with a bonafide female empowerment list of all the gifts the gods have bestowed upon women. Including, birthing life itself.\u00a0 And, it is an attitude by the tragic heroine that steers, ANTIGONE: IN THE LANGUAGE OF KINGS, firmly on its course. \u00a0<\/p>\n Antikona (Esperanza Am\u00e9rica), is not only righteous, but loyal to the core where her family, her forebears and her traditions are concerned.\u00a0 Here she is not a rebellious teen, as is often suggested, but a highly spiritual princess, devoted to the people and the ways of the ancestors.\u00a0 In fact, although the tone of the adaptation is set through Miquiztli (Tiffany Bonita Litz), representing change, the passage of time, transformation and reflection about life\u2019s priorities and past actions, Antikona herself, also, resembles the Goddess Mictecacuhuatl who partly rules over Miquiztli.\u00a0 Antikona in many way personifies the guardian of death, embodying the unyielding, sacred human obligation to respect, protect and care for the remains of the deceased, putting divine\/natural law above secular authority. \u00a0<\/p>\n Antikona\u2019s intensity, stubbornness and rigid devotion to her duty is, also her tragic flaw.\u00a0 And no less than King Creon in his own rigid view of himself and the law that he commands.\u00a0 Here, the two parallel each other quite well.\u00a0 And in keeping with the debate as to whether Antigone or Creon is the focus of the story, Miquiztli steps in, when conflict arises, to draw the audience to the themes rather than the characters. It is well done.<\/p>\n Fernandez\u2019s depiction through her ancestral language and images perfectly aligns with Sophocles\u2019 tragedy, underscoring the clash between Divine and Human Law, Pride and Power.\u00a0 But what seems to be a synthesized Spanish image of Miquiztli kind of stands out as post-conquistador. <\/p>\n In sharp relief to the rest of the production it is dressed in a long, billowing, black, European-styled, textile gown.\u00a0 A \u201cHoly Death\u201d wow factor sweeping across the stage, swallowing up fallen rivals into its voluminous cape. \u00a0 Which, for all of its truly striking appearance, traditional skull and feathered headdress, also slightly (and a bit confusingly) moves away from the intentional indigenous setting just a bit. For it also calls to mind the Goddess who has evolved into popular zeitgeist as the beautiful, skull-dressed image that reigns over the Day of the Dead. And as we are not provided a description of, or background for, this particular figure, it flexes as a decidedly fluid character with interpretation to match.<\/p>\n The twenty-four person cast in this production is astounding for the size, and veritably captures all of the tone, topical imagery and feeling of this adaptation.\u00a0 The script itself is beautifully translated.\u00a0 And the Nahuatl language truly a wonder to hear and view on the supertitles above the fray. As well as its authentic music playing throughout each scene. But it stays locked in the parameters of the story. It might have instead, taken a bit more cultural liberty to grab audiences\u2019 imaginations much more, to deliver the significance of its placement into this time period.<\/p>\n Overall, though, ANTIGONE: IN THE LANGUAGE OF KINGS, directed by Jos\u00e9 Luis Valenzuela is a marvelous refreshing view of an eons old play.\u00a0 And a testament to how story can translate through time, history, language and cultural differences to find similarity, cohesion and meaning.<\/p>\nBecause nothing says power better than a dedicated female holding it all together \u2013 for everyone. \u00a0<\/h6>\n
Mixed View<\/h6>\n
Astounding Elements<\/h6>\n
Recommended.<\/h6>\n