Theatre Review: Coriolanus at the National Theatre

What is the city but the people?

What indeed? David Oyelowo is a powerhouse. His Coriolanus is a shitheel teetering somewhere between Trump and Mugabe. He isn't a noble character with a fatal flaw; his flaws are his character. The citizens celebrate him, turn on him, fear him. It isn't about power corrupting, it's about venal people abusing power structures.

There are persistent theories about the authorship of Shakespeare's plays. My personal favourite is that, in the absence of extant texts, the original publishers asked actors to recite the speeches they'd learned decades previously. Actors, not known for their modesty, surreptitiously added an extra soliloquy or two, padded the verses, and made sure their character got the longest speeches possible.

This explains a lot about Coriolanus.

Much like every modern miniseries, is padded out with exposition and hefty monologues. Endless scenes which don't move things forward, hoping you'll come back for the next act / episode.

Lyndsey Turner's staging is magnificent. The whole theatre becomes a kinetic museum. Swordplay is elegant and vicious, turning to slow motion to allow us to revell in its brutality. The lighting perfectly accentuates the power of the character, the fires make their shadows longer than their souls. Ominous music hums in the background like the finale of 2001.

And yet…

There are so many maddeningly long speeches that I rather wished the cast would have used their swords on the script. A few actors tackle them head on and charge at pace. Others turn to the Toast Of London school of acting and place their stresses wherever they land. What else can they do?

It is an excellent production of a difficult script. The humour comes out well, but simply can't keep 2 hour 50 minute show from flagging.

We went to see a relaxed performance - they'd turned down some of the special effects, and specifically told the audience that they were free to move around, and let people know that the theatre is a welcoming space for all; no matter how they react to the text. It made for a delightful atmosphere.

ShakeRace

Previous readers may be familiar with the idea of #ShakeRace. A few years ago, I reviewed Ira Aldridge - The African Roscius by Bernth Lindfors - it looks at early reactions to Black actors who played Shakespeare.

A contemporary reviewer said of him:

Owing to the shape of his lips, it is utterly impossible for him to pronounce English in such a manner as to satisfy even the unfastidious ears of the gallery.

This is, of course, bullshit. But it is important for people to understand the intersection of Shakespeare and Race when watching a modern version of the Bard's plays.

Coriolanus may or may not have been a real person. His ethnicity is uncertain. With a predominantly Black cast, we're forced to reevaluate the story as presented. Is this a story of old white men manipulating an upstart Black man? What drives Volumnia, his mother, to treat her son so harshly? Why do the plebeians so quickly turn on their champion? Why does Coriolanus have such disdain for the Roman hoi polloi?

When the generals try to thrust greatness onto Coriolanus, they demand an immediate answer. He is covered in blood and replies somewhat ambiguously:

CORIOLANUS: I will go wash;

And when my face is fair, you shall perceive

Whether I blush or no.

As I said, this is a complex and flawed play which is performed brilliantly. It is challenging and exciting - but it cannot escape the density of the script.