— Ch. 1 · Paris Under Occupation —
Antigone (Anouilh play).
~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
On the 6th of February 1944, the Théâtre de l'Atelier in Paris opened its doors to a packed house. The city was under Nazi occupation, and every performance faced strict censorship from German authorities. Jean Anouilh's Antigone premiered that night with Monelle Valentin playing the title role. Jean Davy stood opposite her as Creon, the king who represents authority. Suzanne Flon played Ismène while André Le Gall took on the part of Hémon. The production team included designer André Barsacq for staging, decor, and costumes. The play walked a tightrope between rebellion and submission. Audiences understood the parallels to their daily lives under occupation without hearing explicit political statements. The ambiguity allowed the theater to survive while delivering a message about resistance.
Olivier And Leigh In London
The British premiere arrived at the New Theatre in London on the 10th of February 1949. Laurence Olivier produced the show and also performed as the Chorus. Vivien Leigh stepped into the role of Antigone alongside George Relph as Creon. Eileen Beldon played the Nurse while Meg Maxwell portrayed Ismène. Dan Cunningham appeared as Haemon and Thomas Heathcote took the role of the First Guard named Jonas. Hugh Stewart played the Second Guard described as a Corporal. George Cooper served as the Third Guard and Terence Morgan acted as the Messenger. Michael Redington played the Page and Helen Beck portrayed Eurydice. This cast brought the French tragedy to English audiences with high dramatic intensity during the post-war era.Cornell And Brando On Stage
Katharine Cornell produced and starred in a production that opened at the National Theatre in Washington D.C. in 1946. Sir Cedric Hardwicke played King Creon opposite Cornell's Antigone. Bertha Belmore, Wesley Addy, Ruth Matteson, George Mathews, and Oliver Cliff filled out the supporting roles. Marlon Brando appeared early in his career as the Messenger. Michael Higgins played the Third Guard for this run. Guthrie McClintic directed the production as Cornell's husband. Lewis Galantière provided the English translation used for this American staging. The show later moved to the East 74th Street Theater in Manhattan New York City in 1959. This production helped establish the play's reputation across the Atlantic before it became a global standard.