By Louise
Link: https://www.patreon.com/shakesceneshakespeare
Available until: Unknown
Antony and Cleopatra is classed as a tragedy, but there is a lot more to it than that. It is also a sort of history play as it deals with real historical events and there are some very dramatic scenes with physical and verbal battles. Nobody would ever call it a comedy, but there are scenes in it which are very funny.
This makes it a big challenge to put on because so many of the actors need to be able to do a bit of everything, but just one of the things which make Shake-Scene a great company is that they have so many multi-talented actors who can perform a range of different roles and skills.
The tragedy is very sad. The big love triangle is full of different emotions, especially the really strong love between Antony and Cleopatra. But the drama is also really good. The fights are vividly portrayed and even in the Zoom layout, they are powerful and believable. The political conversations are really tense and even if you know the play, you can get caught up in it and believe things could go either way.
The comedy scenes like the drunken scenes are very amusing. One nice thing about Zoom is that it can make you feel a lot closer to the characters in a way. It’s like being on a Zoom call with Antony and Cleopatra! Being in a theatre is wonderful, but there usually is a sense of separation between the actors and the audience. I think the comedy scenes in particular really draw you in because there’s even more of a sense of sharing the moment with everyone.
Another really great thing about Zoom productions is getting a close-up view of everyone’s reactions to each other. This really adds a lot to the story, but something that really stood out in this production of Antony and Cleopatra is how much time the characters spend listening. Simon Balcon, Tamara Ritthaler and Matt Williams produce some great reactions when Decimus, Quartus and Septimus are listening to music, and watching Alexandra Kataigida’s Enobarbus observe a battle is a really emotional experience. Her facial expressions really help you to imagine what Enobarbus is seeing. The costumes are always worth watching out for too.
But the play is called Antony and Cleopatra for a reason and even with very limited rehearsal, the chemistry between Angela Bull’s Antony and Linda Mathis’ Cleopatra is incredible to watch. Ms Mathis really is a magnificent Cleopatra. She has all the power and presence you’d expect, but even at Cleopatra’s most powerful moments, you can also see her vulnerabilities so you really do admire her and sympathise with her at the same time.
Ms Bull’s Antony is also very confident at first and that makes the performance all the more touching when you see his moments of tenderness and then it is really heart-breaking watching him – and Cleopatra – slowly unravel. I also really love the contrast between Antony and Caesar – I don’t think I have ever seen them played so differently. Antony’s confidence seems almost casual at times in the way he casually sweeps problems and people aside. He just gets things done… at first, anyway. There’s something very awe-inspiring about him and while he always has the ability to be dramatic and impassioned, he has a sense of being able to control everything… at first.
Caesar is played by Charlotte Gallagher, who makes him into a completely different sort of character. Caesar is emotional and stroppy, the kind of person you really need to be a bit careful with because anything might make him angry, but like Antony, he is also very intelligent and effective in his way. It’s a very lively and charismatic performance and a lot of fun to watch, even when things are going badly for Caesar.
The play is mainly about those three, but there are lots of other great characters and Shake-Scene has cast them so well. Jenny Coverack is a businesslike Lepidus, Dewi Hughes is a solicitous Alexas (and always great to watch) and Geoffrey Kirkness is a spooky and intriguing Soothsayer (I love the voice he uses for this role). Eugenia Low’s cheeky, demanding and intelligent Charmian is very interesting to watch and so much a part of every scene she’s in. Zarima McDermott has fun scheming as Ventidius (and we have fun too) and Jennifer Jordan is a suave Pompey.
A really enjoyable production from a great company.
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