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November 8, 2016
Review: Coriolanus

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With the presidential election just around the corner, William Shakespeare’s Coriolanus hits especially close to home. Red Bull Theater’s current production, which has been expertly executed by director Michael Sexton, features an all-star cast, telling a story that feels especially poignant within our current political climate. In the program, the setting is listed as “Rome, 439 BCE” and also “here, now.” The actors are dressed in street clothes, and the set is sparse, its most notable feature being a set of double doors, which, coupled with the ingenious lighting design (Brett J. Banakis designed both the set and the lighting), transport the characters and the audience to various locations, both physical and emotional, throughout the entirety of the production.

As the play begins, we find ourselves in an Ancient Rome that is heavy with turmoil. The common people are outraged after suffering from years of famine, and in an effort to appease them, the ruling aristocracy designates five plebeians as “tribunes,” to act as political representatives for their community. Caius Martius, an utterly phenomenal Dion Johnstone, is dissatisfied with the tribune system, believing that the plebeians have no place in government affairs. This attitude ultimately leads to his demise, when his attempt to get elected as consul of Rome is shot down by the angry plebeians, whose votes would be critical to his success. Ultimately, it is his disdain for the concept of popular rule that contributes to his exile and leads to his assassination.

Johnstone portrays the role of Coriolanus with poise and grace that any American politician would envy. That being said, it is his fragility that truly elevates his performance. In a particularly poignant scene between him and his mother, an exquisite Lisa Harrow, we see Coriolanus’ stoic shell crumble down. It is a moment of raw humanity that not only cracks the character, but also pulls the audience out of the cold, militaristic environment of the rest of the play. Harrow’s performance is equally notable. She possesses an inherent strength and stillness that is rare to find in even the most prestigious venues. In a deeply foreshadowing moment, she stands in a corner, her figure bathed in light on an otherwise black stage. Although she is alone, silent, and still, it is clear that she alone understands what the future holds. When even her son can no longer bare the burdens of Rome’s imminent fall, it is she who strongly and silently holds the weight of the country on her shoulders.

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