ANTi
Basement Theatre Studio, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland
27/08/2024 - 31/08/2024
Production Details
Playwright: Keagan Carr Fransch
Co-director: Dione Joseph
Co-director: Sam Phillips
Black Creatives Aotearoa and Hand Pulled Collective
Bringing the laughs and the tears, ANTi is a new one-woman play written and performed by the award-winning Keagan Carr Fransch. Two worlds are interwoven, Thebes and Tāmaki Makaurau, by the familiar thread of familial duty. This is a story of a family forced to meet at the intersection of queer love, religious expectations, tragic heroines, and Black womanhood.
ANTi plays at Basement Theatre this 27 – 31 August 2024 at 8pm.
Tickets from $8, Choose what you pay
Book at https://basementtheatre.co.nz/whats-on/anti or phone iTicket 09 361 1000
Performer: Keagan Carr Fransch
Lighting Designer & Operator: Rae Longshaw-Park
Costume Designer: Natasha Ovely
Sound designer: Tawanda Manyimo
Producer: Natalya Mandich-Dohnt
Assistant Producer: Nour Malak
Stage Manager: Kauthar Eckstein
Photography: Shakie Muliro
Theatre ,
50 mins
A unique take on being queer that leaves the audience uplifted
Review by Estelle Chout & Claire Bruce 03rd Sep 2024
ANTI is written and performed by the highly charismatic and talented Keagan Carr Fransch, a solo one-woman performance that framed the Black queer experience within a powerful re-telling of the Greek tragedy Antigone.
Walking through the theatre doors, we are met by a beautiful old vintage chair that immediately made us feel as if we were returning to our grandmothers’ living rooms. The bare stage is intriguing, with a minimal, grey-painted backdrop and nothing else. From the moment Keagan walks on stage, she has our attention with her strong, clear voice and commanding stage presence. Her striking costumes by Natasha Ovely come alive throughout the play as their relevance unfolds, including the Zimbabwean scarf she has draped around her neck, the weight of which is revealed at the end.
We instantly connect with the characters in this comedic and hilarious production, laughing out loud at some of the very colourful caricatures and we marvel at Keagan’s adept switching between staunch Mum, good girl Nicki, nervous teenager Janelle, tipsy Father T, saucy Cousin Tina, and a host of other equally bold characters.
The sound design by Tawanda Manyimo is effective and interacts flawlessly with Keagan. The direction by Samuel Philips and Dione Joseph is on point, bringing to life the intricate emotional world of ANTi. Yet again, dramaturg and director Dione Joseph is one of the architects of a beautiful and impactful production.
This one-woman performance makes us feel emotional, challenged, and reflective of our own coming-out stories. Keagan’s vibrancy does not dwindle throughout this high-energy play, enacting and bouncing off effortlessly between the several family members. Rae Longshaw-Park’s minimalist lighting adds to the atmosphere,
ANTi is a unique take on what it is to be queer and under the constant judgment of a staunch Christian family. However, the clever use of spirituality, intergenerational relationships, and unconditional family love leave us feeling uplifted and wet-cheeked.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
Comments