Antony and Cleopatra, National Theatre Live 8 May 2020 ****1/2

THEATRE ONLINE
By William Shakespeare

By National Theatre Live, May 8-14, 2020
Streamed May 8-14, 2020
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: ****1/2

 This is a VERY SHORT REVIEW of the streamed production. KH

Ralph Fiennes & Sophie Okonedo pic by Johan Persson

Simon Godwin’s production of Antony and Cleopatra is a sprawling epic that underscores the chaotic messiness of both love and war in Shakespeare’s narrative. 

Ralph Fiennes is impressive, inspiring and passionate as Antony, an ageing Roman General, still dignified and stately, but languorous, indulged and sated in Egypt where he lives and loves with Cleopatra.

On word of his wife Fulvia’s death, he leaves his beloved Cleopatra (Sophie Okonedo) and returns to Rome to marry Octavia and align his family and forces with Caesar and where immerses himself in power and politics. His Antony is playful, a little raddled and ruffled but still commanding.

Fiennes’ Antony is out of balance physically and emotionally with age, weariness, indulgence in alcohol and rabble-rousing and love.  With his gang of aides and soldiers, Antony carouses and boozes until the early hours to Caesar’s chagrin, but Antony is unaware of Pompey’s treachery.

Okonedo captures the impassioned, erratic rantings of Cleopatra as she demands Antony declare his love for her while doubting his fidelity. She is wild and hysterical which is apt for the role, but sometimes becomes vocally jarring.

There is electricity when these passionate, obsessive lovers are in proximity – enough to make your hair stand on end.

Nicholas Le Provost’s Lepidus is dignified and noble with the occasional lapse into booziness. Tim McMullan’s Enobarbus revels in the Bacchanalian delights of Cleopatra’s court and her ladies in waiting but is a loyal soldier and friend to Antony and his interpretation of Enobarbus’ famous speech about Cleopatra’s beauty is rich with vivid imagery.

Godwin’s production has stark staging (design: Hildegard Bechtler) with contemporary costume and modern military uniforms for the warring Roman factions of Pompey (Sargon Yelda) and Caesar (Tunij Kasim) and plenty of glamour for Cleo.

This production streamed for only one week in May during the shut-down, but it was a gift to witness Fiennes as Antony.

by Kate Herbert

Ralph Fiennes & cast, pic by Johan Persson