Et toi Ismène?, adaptation from Antigone by Henry Bauchau
With Fanny Dulin, Julie Vignau and Ingrid Saker
Videos Aseel Al Yaqoub, Stephan Palmyre and David Furlong
“I am the only one in the family who thinks of happiness, my own happiness, which I try to preserve from the ambitions of Eteocles, the sovereign laughter of Polynices and the extravagant expanse of your soul.” “Do you hate me Ismene?
“Naturally I hate you, I hate you almost as much as I love you.”
Nathalie Adam launches with Et toi Ismene? her company Chemistry Theatre and joins in co-production with Exchange Theatre which, after having presented Jean Anouilh’s Antigone at the French high school, is interested in the character of the heroine’s sister, thus continuing its presentations of strong texts and theatrical researches as in the previous editions of Voila!
Antigone by Henry Bauchau
Henry Bauchau’s Antigone is a fundamentally peaceful character. She defies all forms of authority, and defines herself very strongly in terms of her place within the siblings, much more than in terms of an ineluctable destiny. Her character is tinged with the psychological world that we have benefited from since certain great psychoanalysts have taken up the figure of Oedipus, placing them in a context that echoes our concerns, our questions, our responsibilities. The love or not that we have received, and what we are able to do with our heritage. The family, the place of the woman in the social structures, the question of the gender, the pacifism of the artist and the unconditional love of the brotherhood and the dignity of life.
Ismène here is the pillar, the light of her sister Antigone. She allows her sister to go to the end of her choices and to die by accepting to represent life. She is not in conflict but she as the hidden face of the being that the being that Antigone will never be. This Antigone is part of a sincere dynamic of Anti-heroism and cannot exist without Ismene. It is a question here of hearing all the other characters without whom Antigone would not be what she is. If a person can change a lot, can make a big difference, but in the end he never succeeds alone.
Artitistic Choices – Et Toi Ismène
While working already during one month of research and rehearsals. Two main decisions we decided that the set would be made entirely of recycled materials. recycled materials. We produce enough waste. Our production will be contemporary, influenced by the current migrant crisis. At the time we are writing this 11 million people are fleeing war, more than 2000 died at sea in 2015. 2000 others are blocked in Calais, and 100 people try every night to cross the Euro-Tunnel. Sadly, thousands of voices criticize what they call an invasion…
All of Exchange Theatre’s profits from this production are for the United Nations Commission for Refugees.