Jillian always told us to think, to use our imaginations. We weren’t used to that freedom with our Productions. We could always try things, but we never built a show ourselves. We decided how the bar looked in our minds as a collective. We thought up ways to use the troughs and how to be creative with the lighting. We figured out how to use the bar seating in ways that it wouldn’t normally be used. We, with guidance from Jillian, made this play. The script did not say “Chorus build throne out of boxes”; but ours did.

Ned has given us – all of us – a wonderful opportunity to help create these plays. There is no archive of previous productions for us to fall back on; we make the show. All of us. Every Water, every Bowl, every Blood. We create.

Thank you, Ned.

Q# 3)With respect to Creon, does this form of storytelling flatten imagery?

R#3) In the final play, Creon, the Unnamed retell the story of Creon’s rule after the exile of Oedipus and the restoration of Thebes. As the story of Creon is re-enacted by the Unnamed and not portrayed, there is a sense of disconnection that does flatten the imagery if the play was performed. In regards to the script, the imagery is still comparable to any other play as the Unnamed successfully describe certain scenes in vivid detail. When referring to Polynices’ rotting body, Bowl says to Stranger who is acting as Creon:

Smell that? I touched him Creon,
Swollen soft like sponge or mushrooms,
Eyes flown away,
He has been punished, sir, as much as law allows.
It is not in the power of the king to punish souls. (34-5)

Although the image of the bloated body cannot be shown, the stark image retains its potency for the reader. In regards to performance, however, the Unnameds’ re-enactment of the story in their tavern would obviously lose the resonance of the actual body, or some representation, presented on stage. Given the limited set, the story of Creon would have more flattened imagery if performed on stage. Of course the set could be modified to abate the issue through some dramaturgical effects, yet the actual image would still speak louder than a mere description. Creon, however, partially compensates for this deficit through its highly dynamic dialogue as the Unnamed repeatedly switch from their roles and interrupt their performance with their own commentaries. Again, these interruptions draw away from the effect produced by the described images; yet the tone of the play should be considered as it is not made to be sombre, so the flattened imagery in a way preserves the joviality of the play while still successfully telling the story of Creon.

After reading Creon our workshop had the opportunity to discuss what were felt, personally as well as by the group at large, to be the strengths and pitfalls of the piece. It was suggested that because Creon is a retelling of a folkloric tale by those who know it best, that the images that existed in the five plays preceding it weren’t there and therefore the magic of Thebes and her stories faded. I don’t agree with this conclusion in full. At his core, Bowl is not as flowery with his language as a Royal, but the perspective and the passion which burns inside of him, and every Theban, was allowed to come out through the characters’ genuine excitement for the story and personal connection to it. Hearing the story of Creon from the characters who readers got to know over the course of the first five plays (the unNamed) added a special level of understanding to the text. The images which the unNamed created through their telling of their story were consistently more simple than the poetry which existed in Oedipus yet when they came up with something truly inventive, like the hanging at the end, the created impression is deep and effecting. Although different from the imagery created in the first five plays, the pictures created in Creon were just as strong as those in the texts of the other plays in the cycle.

Thebes is now a peaceful city. Long gone are the days of chaos, torment and pain that the Thebans suffered under their tyrant kings. Famine and droughts are also a thing of the past. As Water mentions, Thebes is “a place of wines and stories.” (p12) The citizens of the city hang around the tavern, play ’stones’ (i.e. gamble), enjoy the plentiful wine and retell stories of their past. Each bottle of wine has its own story based on the time it came from. Like the first bottle opened by the Stranger upon his arrival, which tasted of blood and dust, and thus dated back to the last year of Creon’s rule, before Ismene became queen. Thebes is no longer a small unknown town. It has achieved a notable degree of notoriety and fame and as the Stranger says “I have seen much of that world and Thebes is known everywhere for wine and welcoming. (p11)”. Although Thebes went through some rough times, they are no longer ashamed of their past and now realize that “Without our past we are
just any town, no town at all.” (p.74). As Firewood says, “When we were young it was an awkward thing. We dropped our voices and our eyes. But time turns pain to laughter, or at least to something shared. (p12)” Life goes on in Thebes. Although Ismene has been queen for the last fifteen years, the people mostly rule themselves now. They enjoy “peace and gentle government,” and “peace, mostly, and good wines” (p. 15)

I found the play Creon lacked the descriptive and colorful imagery that was ever present in the first 5 texts in the “City of Wine” series although it had a pace and sense of play that was very different from the other plays. In the retelling of the story of Antigone and Creon, the unnamed characters seemed to have all the plot points in mind when rehashing the past but lacked the precision and details of someone actually present and living through those moments and decisions. The Unnamed characters would at points contradict and correct each others remembrance, but very seldom did they rely on rich imagery to conjured up the past. It lacked the emotional detail that I, for example, might lack in trying to explain to someone the story of the October crisis- meaning I know the facts, but not the peoples’ thoughts. But on the other hand when the present is past, we keep its memory alive by speaking of it. And the Unnamed remind us that the history of Thebes is a much theirs, as generations of their families have lived through all its wonderful times as well as the tumultuous times. It’s interesting to note that the tension for me in “Creon” was found in worrying that the Stranger would get too involved in this role-playing and become uncontrollable with his make belief power as “King Creon”. I worried that perhaps the retelling of this story would invoke the ghosts of the past and Thebes would once again be living in the midst of murder and upheaval. On another note: upon thinking it over, I realize that this play involves only the Unnamed, the Stranger and the Youth and they’re very much like us. They speak like us, recollect like we do- maybe that’s why there is no poetic imagery, are they incapable of speaking with royal flourish? Have they been taught to speak there mind and get to the point or else? I think that’s true with many “lower class” citizens. They speak, when given the chance, to the point and directly. Although amongst themselves they probably chat each others ears off. All this to say it was an incredibly fun read, however I looked forward, intently, to reading more of the poetic imagery that was paramount in the first 5 texts.

The way the story is told in Creon, is mostly at a quick pace with a couple words or perhaps a sentence or two being exchanged between the big group of people/unnamed. It will be assumed that this exchange should be at a moderately fast pace in order not to let the energy of the scene drop (To imagine it on stage) when it is only a word or two being said. At the beginning of the play the unnamed are talking and painting a picture figuratively as well as literally to set up the pace and direction of the story being told. It is evident when bowl says; “And what have I? Nothing. Nothing except these laughing lines, this ragged cloak, this life I call my own.” Glass; “And this investment tucked behind your vest.” Bowl; “Ah, yes. For fat is love and wine is memory. Quickly, boy, before both fade.” (p.5) It is evident that this form of storytelling is in the form of building blocks, and as each character contributes to building higher, the structure succeeds and works at layering the details of the images through the story. These elements give the story a set up to what is being told and consequently allows for the story to unfold in an expressive, intelligent, and organized fashion. It is apparent in the following exert from Creon; Blood “The last great battle, on the plain.” Stranger “And who fought who?” Parent “the sons of Oedipus.” Cloth “Eteocles, a hero.” (p.16) The images are built from all the characters putting in their remarks to tell a well rounded story that isn’t from just one characters memory or opinion. This method of storytelling allows for an expressive and detailed story to be told because it cannot be flattened by any one character whose lines go on for a long period or does not take in the input from other characters. Towards the end of the play the characters say a few lines each to build on the story they’ve been telling. This doesn’t take away from the pace of the story but allows for the image of the characters personalities to shine through. Firewood;“It is our bones. We seldom think of it but it is part of all we are. Without our past we are just any town, no town at all. So we thank you for asking who we are, and more, for urging us to see ourselves.” (p.74) The manner in which this play was written is fun and witty. The images were by all means not flattened and if anything jumped of the story more in the mind/imagination of the reader.