Michael Cox reviews Songs of Lear, The Rape of Lucrece and A Midsummer Night's Dream (As You Like It).
Numerous people have complained that Shakespeare is overdone. Any semi-frequent theatregoer will have had their fill of Hamlet, Othello, Twelfth Night and Richard III, so it might be easy to feel disheartened when hearing that a company's next production is another Shakespeare.
But sometimes, rather than doing productions that would make English teachers and professors proud, directors decide to take some chances and attempt something daring. Many times these fail, but when a high concept works, it can work brilliantly. And at this year's Edinburgh festival, three of the best productions were not traditional stagings but innovative and brave interpretations from Shakespeare's cannon.
Take Songs of Lear (****), a unique interpretation of King Lear. Presented by Polish company Song of the Goat Theatre, the production is a musical interpretation of the play, preferring abstract musical "landscapes" to a text-driven show.
Let's be clear: this is not a musical version of Lear but is instead a production that uses music to investigate some of the concepts and characters from the play. The director plays host, explaining what he and his 10-member ensemble are up to with each song, many times performing numbers that have little to do with Shakespeare's plot with minimal staging and even less design.
And it is terrific. The production is a wholly original experience that is beautiful and unique. The music is haunting and hypnotic, the staging playful and the experience almost unforgettable. The room was a cauldron and the seating uncomfortable, and yet I would have happily stayed another hour for more. Without question, the show received the loudest standing ovation I've heard this year on the Fringe.
So why only four stars? Well, I still felt hungry after the fact. Only the characters of Lear, Cordelia and the Fool are examined, and the only scene that gets a fair airing is Lear's rejection of Cordelia. Perhaps this is simply a sign of greed, but I wanted more; as there are far more characters to interpret there's more ground to cover. If the company do manage to create a larger tapestry but maintain excellence, Songs of Lear just might become a modern masterpiece.
Another production choosing to use musical interpretations of a Shakespearean piece is the Edinburgh International Festival’s The Rape of Lucrece (****). Originally performed last year at the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon, the production tells the story of a faithful wife, her tragic attack at the hand of a jealous prince and the aftermath that immediately follows.
Lucrece is not a play but a poem, and it is performed here by the highly talented, and Edinburgh Festival favourite, Camille O’Sullivan. Standing on a stage filled with scattered manuscripts and canvases of flames against dark backgrounds, O’Sullivan sings and dramatises the story, sometimes serving as narrator and/or commentator while other times taking on the pivotal roles.
Perhaps O’Sullivan is a better singer than an actor, but her performance is so emotionally enriched, tender and passionate, and her voice so beautiful that the blemishes are easily forgiven. Lucrece might not be intended for live performance, and some of the plot threads might be hard for those unfamiliar with the piece to follow, but director Elizabeth Freestone, pianist Feargal Murray and O’Sullivan create a performance that feels raw, immediate and contemporary. Riveting stuff.
The production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (As You Like It) (****) is a wholly unique experience: it cuts all the fairies, lovers and politicians and focuses on the ‘rude mechanicals’ from Shakespeare’s play. The result is one of the funniest, and most elaborate, inside jokes I’ve ever encountered in a theatre.
To summarise the play’s set-up or explain each gag just doesn’t seem fair. It’s an ambitious production that paints on a large canvas and seems willing to do anything for a laugh. It uses large puppets, collapsing scenery, an adorable dog and even manages to get some of the audience wet during its chaotically hilarious beginning—all in good fun. It also makes a terrific statement about class within the theatre, showing how those onstage are so often not on social or political level-pegging to those in the best seats.
Those not familiar with Shakespeare’s play will no doubt love the energy and silliness of everything and find much to like. It’s a big production that has a lot on offer and is consistently witty and full of clever staging. But if you are familiar with the mechanicals’ contribution to Midsummer, from Peter Quince’s first line to the often cut Bergomask dance, then you are in for one magically delicious treat that will not only consistently delight but once again make you fall in love with the art of live performance.
Songs of Lear was on at Summerhall. The Rape of Lucrece was on at the Lyceum. A Midsummer Night’s Dream (As You Like It) was on at the Kings. All three have ended their runs.
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