The Stratford Festival has
brought out a film version of its 2018 production of Coriolanus. It was
directed by the uniquely talented Robert Lepage and critics were falling over
their superlatives in praise of the stage version. The film version deserves
equal praise and the Festival’s intention to film productions of all of
Shakespeare’s plays is a creditworthy ambition.
Lepage has re-imagined
Shakespeare’s violent melodrama as a modern play complete with a broadcast
studio, reporters running around with cameras, a sports car being driven at
high speeds, a dinner in a posh restaurant and a scene in a sauna. Yes, they
are all in Shakespeare’s play but the bard simply forgot to put in the stage
directions especially about things that did not exist when he wrote it. Lepage
corrects the omissions.
Members of the company in Coriolanus. Photography by David
Hou.
Lepage used cinematic techniques
for the stage version therefore the transfer to film directed by Barry Avrich becomes
easier. The generous use of projections, the zeroing in on scenes and
characters, the split screens are all in the original stage production and of
course are the same in the film.
The film gives us the advantage
of seeing facial expressions, grimaces and movements close up. In other words
we get the best of a stage performance and a film. Those who did not see the Stratford
performance may have missed the ambience and pleasure of live theatre (you
can’t have everything) but this Coriolanus is pretty close to “the
real thing.”
Lepage also designed the sets. Steve
Blanchet is the Creative Director and Designer, Mara Gottler is the Costume
Designer, Laurent Laurier is the Lighting Designer and Pedro Pires is the
Images Designer. Needless to say much of the credit for the result goes to them.
The problem with dealing with the
character of Coriolanus remains. Andre Sills brings out all of Coriolanus’s
warrior qualities, brutality, ego, contempt for the people and unbending sense
of entitlement. He enjoys war and killing because it is his code of honour. His
mother Volumnia (played with utter conviction and expertise by Lucy Peacock)
raised him with that code and given the choice between death and glory, he
would choose death.
When Volumnia expresses her pride
in her son’s return as a hero from a cruel war, his wife Virgilia (Alexis
Gordon) points out that he could have died. Then his renown would have become
her son, says Volumnia. She does not stop there. If she had a dozen sons she would
just as soon lose eleven of them fighting nobly for their country than have one
succumb to the sensual pleasures of life.
The performances have been praised
extensively and deservedly. Andre Sills as Coriolanus exudes pitiless animal
strength and considers blood and wounds as badges of honour. His hatred of the
citizens of Rome is so boundless and offensive as to result in his expulsion
from Rome. He joins Rome’s enemy to wreak vengeance on Rome.
From left: Graham Abbey, André Sills, Tom McCamus and
Farhang Ghajar.
Photography by David Hou.
Graham Abbey gives an exemplary
performance as Aufidius, the general of the enemy Volscians who has the same
ethos but not the same thirst for blood and cruelty. He has been defeated by Coriolanus
numerous times and yearns for revenge.
Stephen Ouimette and Tom Rooney
as the tribunes of the people provide perfect contrast to the warriors. They
are downright gentlemen. Michael Blake
as General Cominius and Tom McCamus as
Menenius have the unpleasant task of trying to advise and control Coriolanus’s
worst instincts. They fail.
As to the scenes mentioned in the
second paragraph above, you will just have to see the film to figure out how
they fit in.
If you saw the play, you are in
luck because you can enjoy the experience again by seeing the film. If you didn’t,
you get to see Shakespeare like you never saw before.
______________
Coriolanus by William Shakespeare in a film of the 2018 production
at the Stratford Festival will be released on March 23, 2019 and shown in
Cineplex Cinemas across the country. For participating locations visit https://www.cineplex.com/Events/Stage.
Coriolanus and The Tempest will air on CBC in the summer of 2019.
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