Clear, sensible ideas drive Lindsey Turner’s new production. Giving Shakespeare’s Roman history play an epic feel is natural enough and is achieved with style through impressive music (Angus MacRae) and design. Part of the latter, by Es Devlin, is a stage full of Hellenistic art, displayed as if in a museum, and through these objects the production comments on the dangers of glorifying militarism.
When it comes to the titular hero, Turner is carefully noncommittal and her leading man, David Oyelowo, keeps us guessing. We’re supposed to admire Coriolanus, yes? Plenty do, even though he is, literally, revolting. As the play moves between the military and civic spheres, Oyelowo gets as much complexity out of the role as is possible. It is a commanding performance.
The military scenes are strongest – the fighting exciting – showing this martial culture superbly. Cominius, the general who delivers many a panegyric about his mate, becomes a major role through Sam Hazeldine’s skill. And let’s include the mum here! Pamela Nomvete, one of my favourite actors, is excellent as Volumnia. Her exaggerations about honour and glory raise a laugh nowadays, but Nomvete’s brilliant performance makes them sincere, taking us into the world of the play.
Showing us politics is less successful, although the action is swift and easy to follow. Maybe one problem is that the “many headed multitude” seems short on the ground (odd, since that isn’t the impression with battle scenes). The costumes are a bit of a puzzle, giving the plebeian Brutus and Sicinius (well performed by Jordan Metcalfe and Stephanie Street) an odd 1970s TUC air. Their political opponent also comes off badly, Peter Forbes’ Menenius is a comic-book toff whose wit tires rather than entertains. To be fair, it’s hard to get much subtlety here. The play takes its lead from Coriolanus’ own view that people are either “crows” or “eagles”. At least Turner doesn’t show favourites.
The political scenes are supposed to be uncomfortable – how the mob is manipulated is a warning. But the production is lucky it has Oyelowo to fall back on. He does a great job of balancing his character’s contempt with a dignity that comes from following his principles. We are allowed to wonder if Coriolanus is trapped in his sense of himself. Has being named after the city he conquered gone to his head? Is he one of those men said to be a victim of toxicity? That’s a tough sell, if an interesting one. But in the end, Coriolanus himself is presented as one of those statues – the kind of fallen warrior who was never a Roman and who was, ironically, usually nameless.
Until 9 November 2024
Photos by Misan Harriman
