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Coriolanus, Greek God or Just a Man? Review by Eurekah Shabazz



I guess most reviews often jump straight into the backstory, head towards the storyline, characters and the production. Not this one! I’m going to start from the opening set - the outstanding prop images.


From the start, I had an excellent view, being in a position where I could see the whole stage. Being a writer, with a keen eye for props, the prop techniques themselves, were not only brilliant, but aesthetically pleasing.


Before we, the audience, were captivated by the story of Coriolanus, the opening shots, which I watched with avid interest, was an ariel view of moving people, projected onto gigantic vertical, almost translucent white screens, which were made to look like pillars. This invariably teased us as to what we were about to expect within a three-hour sitting.



I hasten to add, I had never seen a live performance of a Shakespearian play, so this was a first. I have, however, seen both The Lion King, which apparently is modelled on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and West Side Story which, again, is based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Up until that night, Shakespeare’s work had held very little interest to my person. Interestingly, not only was I about to be transported back into ancient Rome, but also taken on an epic journey.


Coriolanus tells the story of a renowned Roman Captain, Caius Marcius Coriolanus. It’s described, very much as a Shakespearian tragedy. As the set opened, it struck me that it had all the hallmarks of a play that could have easily been staged in the ancient grounds of Italy’s colossal Colosseum, with bloody on-going epic battles, but it wasn’t. It was in London, on the grounds of the great Southbank.




The opening scene began with riotous noise, plebeian rioters, the people of the land, who were disgruntled by the treatment received from the government who essentially, denied them access to grain. Plebeians, quickly apportioned blame to Caius Marcius, Coriolanus, David Oyelowo, a principled, honourable man, who considered them to be somewhat, neither worthy, nor deserving of the grain. His attitude further enraged the plebeians, whilst Menenius, a Roman patrician/advisor, played by Peter Forbes, endeavoured to diffuse the situation. Unbeknown to Coriolanus, this would be the start of ensuing battles on all fronts, the political, and the battlefield. Coriolanus, who cared very little for politics, and more about his courage during military service, and even less about the scars he had received during battle, wanted people to know how much he had sacrificed during his military service. He appeared to be a very proud man, with a strong sense of propriety.


Observing Coriolanus, being sucked into the political minefield, the play subtly sucked me into the storyline too. War, hatred, betrayal, love, and violence, along with resentment, were all taking place, with some behind the scenes, while at the same time, unseen forces were at work. Brutus, played by Jordan Metcalfe, and Sicinius, played by Stephanie Street, both Tribunes, strategically plotted against Coriolanus, and would subsequently denounce him.


I watched with interest and intrigue as the story of Coriolanus’s life was brought to the stage. Coriolanus had fought many a battle on and off the battlefield against the Volscian army at Corioli after the expulsion of the Tarquin Kings. One such on-going arc enemy, was Tullus Aufidius, a Volscian general, played by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Defeating the Volscians, Coriolanus was eager to be Consul, which would essentially, make him the highest-ranking elected public official of the Roman republic. However, the dirtiest of battles Coriolanus was yet to fight, was in the political arena.


I watched as David Oyelowo, pulled no punches. His acting was superb, as was all the cast. As the story continued to unfold, my immediate thoughts were 'woah, this political scenario mirrored modern day politics gone awry, with back-benches, cabinet members, Government ministers, all in positions of power, who essentially were responsible for the welfare of society, all at loggerheads with joe public, the plebeians, as well as each other, and each with their own agenda.' I could almost hear the jeering and jostling taking place in the Commons, but without the clashing swords.


What really captivated me, was the Shakespearian vernacular, the iambic pentameters, merged with modern-day English, making it somewhat easier to absorb the intonations and nuances. I felt a sense of real understanding, as well as empathy with Coriolanus. Additionally, you would be forgiven for thinking Coriolanus could possibly be a Greek God, related to the God Ares, God of war and courage, largely due to his standing and nobility.


Not wishing to spoil it for future theatre goers, but experiencing Coriolanus in a three-hour sitting, as mentioned before, is nothing short of having a 12-course meal of fine-dining cuisine. So, sit back, and enjoy every minute.


As I draw this review to a close, I cannot but mention, although Coriolanus has been described as a Shakespearian tragedy, I would be inclined to describe it as a travesty. Enjoy!





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© 2024


The creative team includes director Lyndsey Turner, set designer Es Devlin, costume designer Annemarie Woods, lighting designer Tim Lutkin, sound designer Tom Gibbons, video designer Ash J Woodward, fight director Sam Lyon-Behan, composer Angus MacRae, casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, voice coaches Cathleen McCarron and Shereen Ibrahim, associate set designer Claudia Fragoso, associate costume designer Philip Engleheart, and staff director Júlia Levai.


The season will run in the Olivier theatre from 11 September – 9 November 2024


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