November 14, 2011
This week’s production of Antony and Cleopatra at the Keble O’Reilly Theatre puts a new spin on a classic Shakespearean tragedy. Director Tara Burton has chosen a multi-media format, combining live acting with projected film clips of the actors. This adds a decidedly modern air to the play and invites the audience to see the story in a new way, though the concept is not as well-executed as it could have been: the film has been edited to mimic an early Hollywood movie, and the grainy image and distorted sound are annoying distractions from the film’s content.
Thankfully, most of the play takes place on stage, not on screen. And seen live, many of the actors are fantastic. Catherine Haines in particular is a stellar Cleopatra. She shows a mastery of the Shakespearean text and presents the complexities of Cleopatra’s character with ease; she is manipulatively seductive one moment, raging with passion the next. Mike Crowe’s rendition of Antony is unfortunately less convincing, and the subtleties of the character are lost in Crowe’s delivery, which is stilted and full of overdone sighs.
The supporting cast more than makes up for the damage done by Crowe. Rob Snellgrove makes a frightening and volatile Caesar, and Sam Young deserves mention for his brilliantly funny portrayal of Agrippa - his over-the-top nervous mannerisms and slapstick humor had the audience laughing every time. All of the actors, but especially Cleopatra’s servants (played by Sophie Ablett and Claire Rammelcamp), react wonderfully well to the scenes playing out in front of them, alternately adding comic relief and heightening the tension with sarcastic eye-rolling and fearful cowering.
The set design also adds an interesting complexity to the play, although the lighting is fairly static and unoriginal. Reminiscent of a 1920s film set, everything is black and white in Cleopatra’s palace, from the costumes to the posters of early Hollywood films papered onto the sides of the set.
Overall the play is dynamic and well-executed; I was enthralled for the entire three-hour performance. Perhaps this quote from Antony and Cleopatra itself describes the play best: “Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.” The play is four hundred years old, yet it still feels fresh and inviting, thanks to this performance’s inventive staging and compelling acting.
Thankfully, most of the play takes place on stage, not on screen. And seen live, many of the actors are fantastic. Catherine Haines in particular is a stellar Cleopatra. She shows a mastery of the Shakespearean text and presents the complexities of Cleopatra’s character with ease; she is manipulatively seductive one moment, raging with passion the next. Mike Crowe’s rendition of Antony is unfortunately less convincing, and the subtleties of the character are lost in Crowe’s delivery, which is stilted and full of overdone sighs.
The supporting cast more than makes up for the damage done by Crowe. Rob Snellgrove makes a frightening and volatile Caesar, and Sam Young deserves mention for his brilliantly funny portrayal of Agrippa - his over-the-top nervous mannerisms and slapstick humor had the audience laughing every time. All of the actors, but especially Cleopatra’s servants (played by Sophie Ablett and Claire Rammelcamp), react wonderfully well to the scenes playing out in front of them, alternately adding comic relief and heightening the tension with sarcastic eye-rolling and fearful cowering.
The set design also adds an interesting complexity to the play, although the lighting is fairly static and unoriginal. Reminiscent of a 1920s film set, everything is black and white in Cleopatra’s palace, from the costumes to the posters of early Hollywood films papered onto the sides of the set.
Overall the play is dynamic and well-executed; I was enthralled for the entire three-hour performance. Perhaps this quote from Antony and Cleopatra itself describes the play best: “Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.” The play is four hundred years old, yet it still feels fresh and inviting, thanks to this performance’s inventive staging and compelling acting.