BELIEVE WHAT YOU WILL Till 4 November.
BELIEVE WHAT YOU WILL: Philip Messenger.
RSC: Swan Gunpowder Season.
Runs: 2h 50m, one interval, till 4 November.
Review: Rod Dungate, 3 June 2005.
Intriguing but hard going, lovely final section.
Titus Flaminius, a Roman ambassador, justifies his cruelty to dethroned King Antiochus by saying that everything he does is 'to the service of the State.' So . . . between the Romans and Massinger and today we span more than two thousand years. Wars still happen; regrettably cruelty and torture are still carried out 'to the service of the State'.
Massinger's play, the third in this Gunpowder season, debates the nature of kingship/ power/ corruption/ duty and, dare I say it . . . respect.
King Antiochus, presumed dead in battle 22 years ago, returns to claim his throne in Lower Asia. But he finds Rome now in charge, and ruling with heavy taxes and a rod of iron. It is important to Rome that he is recognised as a false claimant to the throne, and the State in the person of cruel Titus Flaminius try everything they can to break him.
Unfortunately the power of the play is diminished somewhat in Josie Rourke's production, which lacks sensitivity to the drama within the script. She treats the words as great chunks of formal verse (which in many cases they are) so that the play is recited rather than spoken. Authority is too often achieved by shouting which lessens it of course. The effect is to constantly push us away from the drama so that, while we may be intrigued intellectually, we aren't moved.
Nowhere could this be clearer than in Antiochus's prison cell speech. Although he addresses Death at the opening, he could easily, in a long series of questions, increasingly take us into his confidence: 'How am I grown/ so cheap and vile in their opinion that/ I am denied an executioner?' Peter de Jersey, who sustains a wonderful dignity throughout, builds here a barrier when he should be dismantling one.
The production is saved by Nigel Cooke and Teresa Banham in the final section some stunning acting here. As Ambassador Marcellus and his wife they wield a quiet power, here at last are two characters who talk to one another. When Antiochus enters the scene de Jersey shows us what he, too, is capable of and the whole production soars.
Barry Stanton brings some welcome light relief as religious leader Berecinthius a nicely rounded performance.
Prologue: Mark Springer.
Stoic: Nigel Cooke.
Antiochus: Peter de Jersey.
Chrysallus: Ian Drysdale.
Syrus: Jonjo O'Neill.
Geta: Peter Bramhill.
Berecinthius: Barry Stanton.
1st merchant: Kevin Harvey.
2nd Merchant: Barry Aird.
3rd Merchant: Ewen Cummins.
Titus Flaminius: William Houston.
Calistus: Matt Ryan.
Demetrius: Julian Stolzenberg.
Amilcar: Mark Springer.
Hanno: David Hinton.
Asdrubal: Tim Treloar.
Carthalo: Fred Ridgeway.
Lentulus: Ian Drysdale.
Tajah: Evelyn Duah.
Prusias, King of Bithynia: Jonjo O'Neill.
Queen of Bithynia: Evelyn Duah.
Philoxenus: Peter Bramhill.
Metellus: Fred Ridgeway.
Sempronius: Matt Ryan.
Jailer: Tim Treloar.
Courtesan: Michelle Butterly.
Captain: David Hinton.
Marcellus: Nigel Cooke.
Cornelia: Teresa Banham.
Directed by: Josie Rourke.
Designed by: Stephen Brimson Lewis.
Lighting Designed by: Wayne Dowdeswell.
Music Composed by: Mick Sands.
Sound Designed by: Andy Franks.
Movement: Michael Ashcroft.
Fights by: Terry King.
Assistant Director: Elizabeth Freestone.
Music Director: Michael Tubbs.
Voice & Dialect Work by: Jeannette Nelson.
2005-06-04 10:50:24