Students had a very unique experience if they went to see “Antigone” on March 3-4 done in the style of theatre of cruelty. It provided an in-your-face experience and a different take on performing.

This style is meant to impact the audience rather than just entertain Megan Campbell, senior who plays Antigone, said. “There are no chairs, and the set [appeared to be] a pile of junk,” Campbell said.

“Antigone” tells the story of Antigone as she tries to bury her brother, who died fighting her other brother in combat for the throne.

The problem is that the new king, Creon (played by Curtis Leonard), has forbidden his burial because he was a traitor.

Some of the actors were excited to use this more interactive style.

“There’s a part in the show where Dave Wernsman, who plays my son Hamon, is talking to an audience member [while] I’m talking to Antigone, and I overhear him talking to the person and I turn around and then I just scream bloody murder at…this unknowing audience member…and it’s kind of fun,” Leonard said.

The cast and crew had a limited amount of time to rehearse, and with the short time, came challenges.

Both Leonard and Campbell admitted to a struggle with line memorization due to a short rehearsal time. However, that wasn’t the only problem.

An organization that uses the Black Box theatre on the weekend disassembled the set right before show week. This caused a slight setback as the set constructors worked to reassemble the set before rehearsal that day.

As for the style of theatre, everyone differed on how the audience would react.

“[You’ll] either love it or hate it,” David Hastings, director, said.

The lighting is done in a way that makes it hard for the audience to focus on one thing. Curtains were drawn closed to make it difficult to enter the theatre.

The play’s theme is about standing up for what one believes, both Leonard and Campbell said.