Oxford Catholics have voiced their concern after it was revealed that tickets for the upcoming play ‘Antigone’ wil include a discount on sex toys and pornography from ‘The Private Shop’ on Cowley Road.
‘Antigone’ is due to be performed this Sunday evening at The Cellar, which has never hosted play productions before.
There are rumours that drugs will also be circulating during performances, although director Jess Edwards stressed that the production team will be upholding the Cellar’s strict drugs policy at all times.
Edwards said that the prospect of an S&M show in Oxford had been met with excitement by students.
“What we wanted to do was sell sherbet and sweets that look like drugs, or herbal legal drugs, but apparently even selling talcum powder advertised as cocaine is still illegal.
“The Cellar was very clear in saying no to our idea, but I guess by putting [the play on] in a club we are running a certain risk in this respect”.
Patrick Milner, a prominent member of the University’s Catholic community, was left unimpressed by the production’s marketing.
He said, “I think it’s rather sad if student dramatics are forced to revert to sex, drink and drugs to attract people to performances; the producer can’t have much confidence in the acting ability of the cast. Each can be obtained in abundance through easier channels. It’s all rather embarrassing to be honest.”
Newman Society President Hubert MacGreevey told Cherwell, “I was aware that there was going to be a performance of Antigone coming up, but not that it was going to be a sex-fest spectacular.
“As a practising Catholic, I don’t approve of any aggressive promotion of sexual promiscuity. But let’s be honest: [we know] what lengths undergraduates will go to in order to make a splash and to receive lots of attention from their peers.”
Edwards admitted that using a sex shop discount was a marketing ploy rather than an artistic decision. She described it as “camp, amusing and experimental”, but not intended to cause offence.
The performance is billed as ‘the closest a party can get to a play’ with a live DJ, strobe lighting and shot girls. The actors will move amongst audience members.
The Oxford version of Antione describes itself as a ‘highly sexualised production with a sadomasochism costume theme’.
The production team claim that their version of the play is a “visual way to bring out the excess of Greek tragedy, frightening and relevant to a modern audience”.
Antigone with discounted dildo
