REVIEW: Antigone

GRASS roots theatre at its best — that was the new production of Antigone came about.

Third Nail Theatre disbanded due to having no home or children’s show deal at the Civic Theatre after the refurbishment — yet some members wanted to do something relevant and positive in Rotherham.

Third Nail spent nearly 20 years doing high quality performances from Harold Pinter, through Beckett to Shakespeare and good old farce.

Meanwhile, mid-summer, members of Rotherham’s Open Minds Theatre were eager to be part of something different.

Finally, during the summer break, some Rotherham College HND Performing Arts students and one BTEC student wanted to be involved with something voluntary to add to their CV and gain experience.

Director Karen Mulcahey said: “With this 'rag tag' mix of local Rotherham folks and Sheffielders, myself and Tony Steele, who are members of Sheffield’s Lantern Theatre, set about trying to make it happen.

“In recent dark times it has been nice to see groups pulling together to allow something positive and creative to bloom.

“The Lantern, a voluntarily run theatre, offered us their space to perform if we could make it happen, whilst Rotherham’s ‘Open Minds Theatre Company' let us use one of their 'empty building' rehearsal spaces. Rotherham and Sheffield working together.

“The cast valiantly pooled their resources to travel to rehearsals, gather small props/costumes, find music and market the performance. All on a budget of zero. We seriously don’t even have £5 to print a poster!”

The set (such as it was) consisted of tables, stools and benches found in the rehearsal space and on the small Lantern stage that was enough.