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Believe What You will
by Phillip Massinger, supplemented by Ian McHugh
Directed by Josie Rourke
The Royal Shakespeare Company at Trafalgar Studios (previously The Whitehall Theatre)
Trafalgar Square, London WC2
Designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis
Lighting designed by Wayne Dowdeswell
Call +44 20 870 060 6632 Tickets £15.00 - £34.00
Tues – Sat 7.30pm; Sat Mats 2pm
Running time 2.5 hours with intermission
Through 28 Feb 2006
For What It’s Worth
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s “Gunpowder” season of plays transfers from the Swan Theatre, Stratford upon Avon. The season commemorates the attempt, in 1605 by Guy Fawkes to blow up the houses of Parliament, and all within. This early act of terror is now the excuse for a lot of fireworks every 5th November, the anniversary of “The Gunpowder Plot”, or “The Powder Treason” as it was known.
This 16th Century piece bears no direct reference to the main subject, but was described as a ‘dangerous play’, very political, and was banned. With the original and offending text thinly disguised, the play re-emerged as an historical drama.
In the extensive program notes, and again in the post performance Q & A with director, Josie Rourke and some cast members, much is made of the contemporary resonances of the material. Whether or not this is so is of passing interest. The play stands or falls on its merits, and cannot rely on the revelation that history repeats itself.
The action traces the story of the apparent death of 2nd century King Antiochus of Lower Asia and his ‘re-emergence’ 22 years later, to a Rome deeply threatened by him, if indeed he can prove he is the king, thought killed in the battle. This entire premise, ie whether or not he is some pretender, appearing Martin Guerre-like, is denied us. The opening scene, missing from the original, and especially written for this production by playwright, Ian McHugh, explicitly portrays the defeated King Antiochus on the battlefield, bloodied but surviving, lamenting (at some length) the slaughter of his entire army.
From here on in we are treated to streams of self pitying melodrama from Peter de Jersey as Antiochus, off set at first by the tripping colloquialism of Nigel Cooke’s Stoic, and then from a company determined to project hard and fast, presumably to instil some urgency in a flaccid construct.
In close harmony with the lovely lighting and design by Wayne Dowdeswell and Stephen Brimson Lewis respectively, director, Josie Rourke provided some beautiful set piece moments. Making use of the company’s singing skill in one, and in a marvellous, ritualised laying down of the swords in another, these were special moments, of which many more such were needed to make a production of a play whose real worth in reviving was lost on me.
William Houston, quaintly incoherent in the Q & A session after the show, provides a powerful study as Titus Flaminius. Veering headily in his delivery between Olivier and O’Toole, he is nevertheless intensely watchable. Nigel Cooke’s second appearance, as Marcellus, provided, in his verbal duelling with Flaminius, an opening to act two which went some of the way towards saving the evening. This sparring of two consummate actors was an all too rare power play in the evening’s rather damp fireworks.
Somewhat Recommended
Saul Reichlin
London correspondent
Talk Theatre in Chicago Radio show
www.ChicagoCritic.com
Friday 10 February 2006
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