RSC Gilds Cymbeline’s Crown

Jupiter. Photo by Ellie Kurttz (c) RSC

Cymbeline by William Shakespeare, Royal Shakespeare Company, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon, until 27 May 2023.

Review by Anne Cee.

Artistic Director Emeritus, Gregory Doran, shot Cymbeline to victory this week in his 50th production for the RSC as part of the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio.

Cymbeline gives us everything we love in Shakespeare’s toolbox – comedy, tragedy and history all wrapped up in stories of family, power, love, trickery and best of all, resolution. It was a treat to be introduced to unfamiliar characters, and to fall into the unique poetry and songs which allow us to explore their vanities and flaws as well as their virtues and affections. This is a little known play about an ancient Celtic King of Britain that the RSC have taken by the horns and turned into a winning production. I loved it and so did the packed audience.

Peter de Jersey as Cymbeline. Photo Ellie Kurttz (c) RSC

Bespoke compositions by Paul Englishby provided comedic and poignant interludes which helped to whisk the plot through Britain, Rome and Wales. The highlight was a haunting lament for a seemingly dead stranger sung by the royal brothers who had been stolen as children and were now living in a Welsh cave with their fake father. The brothers, played superbly by Scott Gutteridge and Daf Thomas, were a fine duo who made a convincing pair of lively young ‘peasant’ siblings with overtones of refined sensibilities. They sang with spell binding grace to the accompaniment of the flute, harp and cello nestled in the Circle wings. It was magical.

Christian Patterson, Scott Gutteridge and Daf Thomas. Photo Ellie Kurttz (c) RSC.

The Stage and Lighting Designers deserve to be given a specially created ‘Theatre’ Golden Globe Award for their incredible use of the circle motif throughout the show, using it to denote the moon, an island, a cave, absence, imprisonment, cradling, unity, echo and possibly even the globe itself. To me, the circles speak of loss and absence as well as strength and eternity. It is an extraordinarily effective part of the storytelling and possibly the most cohesive and subtly creative combo of stage design and light I’ve ever seen. The team reached for the stars and landed firmly on the moon in a stellar step for original Shakespearean style.

Ed Sayer and Amber James. Photo Ellie Kurttz (c) RSC

There were some stunning performances such as Alexandra Gilbreath who plays the ambitious Queen beautifully whilst accompanied with a Cruella De Vil coiffure rather than a crown, Amber James who plays Imogen, the wronged daughter of Cymbeline and who really came alive as a fake boy and a reconciled wife, Mark Hadfield as Pisario, the servant who delivered the perfect catch in his voice just as he refused to kill his master’s wife, and, of course, Peter de Jersey as a powerful King and mistaken husband.

But special mentions go to the wonderful bear of a man, Christian Patterson who played Belarius with touching sensitivity, Jaime Wilkes who played Iachina to perfection and showed off his rippling abs, and Conor Glean who played Cloten the hapless stepson with style, particularly during his very funny ‘conducting the male voice quartet’ episode.

I loved hearing Shakespearean poetry being delivered with a range of accents from around the UK and beyond. And I loved the masks and wings and golden torso.

Theo Ogundipe. Photo Ellie Kurttz (c) RSC

All in all, I had a wonderful evening being taken back in time. Human nature might not change much through the centuries but the RSC’s delivery of the Bard’s Tales just keeps on getting better and better. Bravo!

Discover more: https://www.rsc.org.uk/cymbeline/