CYRANO DE BERGERAC. To 13 January.
Manchester
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
by Edmund Rostand translated by Anthony Burgess
Royal Exchange Theatre To 13 January 2007
Mon-Fri 7.30pm Sat 8pm Mat Wed (except 27 Dec & 28 Dec 2.30pm Sat & 26 Dec 3pm no performance 25 Dec
Audio-described 16 Dec 3pm
BSL Signed 6 Jan 3pm
Post-show discussion 11 Jan
Runs 2hr 55min One interval
TICKETS: 0161 833 9833
www.royalexchangetheatre.co.uk/bookonline
Review: Timothy Ramsden 4 December
Theatre awash with swash and buckle.
Though the Royal Exchange has long been known for bucking the seasonal trend, Edmund Rostand’s fierily poetic drama goes beyond the usual choice of a gentle comedy to join the years together. Director Greg Hersov’s aware of his seasonal duty, however, while matching comic capers with an increasing melancholy that fits this story of 17th-century poet and soldier Cyrano, who’s equally at home with sonnet or sword.
His emperor-sized nasal protuberance, which he sees as a disfigurement, holds him back from declaring his love for beautiful Roxane. Instead, Ben Keaton’s Cyrano crouches behind Oliver Chris’s handsomely vacuous Christian, feeding his beautiful face with the poetic language which enchants her.
Hersov links acts skilfully. The 100-strong ambush Rostand mentions is brought onstage ingeniously after the first act’s assertive braggadocio, suggesting Cyrano could have been Le Roi Soleil’s James Bond. Later, the Gascony cadets’ battlefield resistance-against-all-odds softens into Roxane’s sad song as the action moves to her convent years, with Cyrano paying fond weekly visits, maintaining his panache (a literal feather in his cap, as well as in lifestyle) till the very last word.
Rae Smith’s sets marks out the changing moods, while Hersov uses the full space, with passing Parisians outside the open auditorium doors at the busy start, and war flashing and booming in at the cadets; a contrast to the quiet, sparsely-populated final scene.
What makes the show a good shot rather than a bullseye is the cast. There are plenty of flavourful performances around the action, including Clive Hayward’s poet-baker Rageneau and Jonathan Keeble as arrogant aristo De Guiche (comically unseating audience-members at one point). Chris is pleasantly self-knowing as Christian, while Ben Keaton provides Cyrano’s sorrow and anger.
Yet his voice is too limited in richness and range to give this Cyrano a full command. It remains a decent showing. But Roxane, the focus of 3 men’s love, lacks life. Jessica Oyelowo looks elegant in white, visits the battle in florid red and ends in subdued dress, but her speech veers between the inexpressive and the effortful. So, alas, what could have been rip-roaring remains merely acceptable.
Bellerose/Jaques/Capuchin: John Banks
Jean Claude/Gilbert/Bertrandou: Joseph Attenborough
Julie/Lise/Sister Therese: Georgina Lamb
Ligniere/Pepe: Gregory Gudgeon
De Cuigy/Freddy: Gareth Brierley
De Brissaille/Musketeer/Serge: Eric MacLennan
Le Bret: Andrew Westfield
Rageneau: Clive Hayward
Christian: Oliver Chris
Roxane: Jessica Oyelowo
The Duenna/Mother Marguerite: Liz Crowther
De Guiche: Jonathan Keeble
Valvert/Gaspar: Joseph Chance
Montfleury/Benoit: David Schaal
Cyrano: Ben Keaton
Director: Greg Hersov
Designer: Rae Smith
Lighting: David Holmes
Sound: Steve Brown
Music: Joseph Attenborough
Fights: Renny Krupinski
Assistant director: Christopher Meads
2006-12-11 01:56:23