There are numerous ways to interpret the genre of Greek tragedy. Some may see its basic plots as good versus evil, doing what one's heart believes and whether man's fate has been pre-determined or not. Others may look at the incest, adultery and murder and think about the components of the latest Melrose Place plot lines. In any case, anyone will be able to enjoy the Ohio University School of Theater's production of the Greek tragedy classic, Sophocles' Antigone.

In case those Antigone Cliffs Notes that were purchased in high school have long been erased from memory, here is a quick refresher. Antigone is the story of a woman - appropriately named Antigone - who defies the king's decree and buries her dead brother, Polynices.

The play then progresses forward to demonstrate what indeed does happen when one violates a king's order and the chaos that can be created from doing such a thing.

What makes this production work is its convergence of all the components into one. In some plays one or two actors overpower the others or the music steals the limelight, but this is not the case with Antigone

All parts of the play - the acting, the music, the lighting - equally shine. Even the set decoration, which is very reminiscent of the set design of the theater scene in Scream 2, draws attention to itself.

All of the actors and actresses involved give convincing and emotionally charged performances without going over the top. They make Antigone come to life without being melodramatic.

Especially poignant are the performances of Danyale Temple and Steve Cirbus (Antigone and King Creon, respectively). The conflict scenes between these two gives the play the dramatic tension that, if lacking, would have left the audience feeling cheated and unfulfilled.

Also worth mentioning are the supporting performances of Shelly Sproles (Ismene) and Joel J. Rathbone (Haemon). While their stage time is limited, these two are not mere decorations that fade into the background and are forgotten once they leave the stage.

The one drawback of the play is the complicated dialogue. While the production stays true to the Greek tragedy set-up of having the chorus interact with the characters and aid in the progression of the plot, it becomes difficult at times to follow and understand what the chorus is actually saying. Understanding the main plot points is not difficult, but trying to gain a grasp of the supplementary details can be quite a struggle.

At the end of the performance, when the lights have been turned off, the curtain calls have been taken and the balcony closed, this production of Antigone has done something incredible. It appeals to both the Greek scholar and the Melrose Place fan in all of us.