When we heard we were going to be seeing Antony and Cleopatra somewhere about two hours away from York, we were rather excited. Admittedly, when we realised it wasn’t the one with Kim Cattrall in Liverpool, as publicised by the Daily Mail, we were a little put out. Disappointment was the theme of the day.

 

The play itself was in modern dress, and although we may not be the best Shakespeare critics (yet), was somewhat lacking. Yes at times it was pacey and occasionally the drama was penetrated by an eerie eastern atmosphere, but something was certainly missing. Firstly there was the portrayal of Cleopatra, madder and creepier than the text, and history, suggests. Although Shakespeare himself took historical liberties, I was wondering where the men in the white coats were at times, and that was just looking at her elbows. Then to Antony himself. I can appreciate the older man as much as the last person, but even this silver fox had perhaps too many grey hairs in his tail, not to mention too many rabbits in his belly. Frankly any perceptions of a ‘herculean’ Antony were ruined for me the minute he stepped on stage dressed as a general who spends too long arranging his battle ships as opposed to fighting on them. In fact the overall impression was one of a dirty old man trying to woo an overly childlike Cleopatra, seedy to say the least.

 

That’s not to say the production did not have its good points. There was something fantastically almost-funny watching the clash between the puritanical Octavian and the debauchery of the East. Being an aspiring Classicist myself, I am always disappointed by the casting of the supposedly rather sexy Octavian in any Shakespeare play, generally always tall and nearly always bald. However history, as ever when it comes to Shakespeare, is very much beside the point, and the actor playing Octavian, column-like in his cunning and virtue (whilst resembling Vladimir Putin) was very much perfect for the part.

 

Overall, though a great opportunity to see our texts read in the classroom come to life on stage, no cameo from any Hollywood star, Kim Cattrall or otherwise could have made this performance believable, and next time, I for one shall be sticking to the Burton-Taylor version.


 I believe this photo makes my point!












 

Report by Lottie Meggitt (Upper VI)