Reviewing The National's 'Coriolanus': Lay The Play and The Man to Rest

★★★ | We have all heard of Coriolanus: Shakespeare’s riveting Roman tragedy about a military icon who fails to be an equally popular politician and changes his allegiance twice, ultimately leading to his death. Lyndsey Turner’s adaptation stars David Oyelowo in the titular role, the latest in a series of recent attempts to bring Coriolanus to the stage.

This adaptation is stylistically arresting, with the opening scene immediately drawing audience’s attention to the glittering statues and ancient-looking relics which adorn the stage. Set designer Es Devlin uses a gigantic projector to emphasise key moments of the play, such as when Coriolanus’ military valour is publicly exalted. And when two scheming tribunes are alerted to Coriolanus’ impending betrayal, the scene is set in a clean, white, minimalistic space, underscoring the difference between the order that the aristocrats so desperately seek and the bloody carnage that the rest of Rome will soon be exposed to.

The company of Coriolanus. Photo Credit: Misan Harriman

However, this careful construction of visual splendour is a double-edged sword. At times, the play seems confused and cluttered with too many actors, props and movements. When Coriolanus is declared a traitor by the people and ousted from his position, the introduction of cameramen and projectors draws our attention away from the main point of the scene – a violent clash between Coriolanus and the dissatisfied plebeians.

On one hand, it’s a nod to one of the main themes of the play: that the role of a politician is somewhat like a performance, constantly scrutinised by the masses he serves. On the other hand, this is a case of trying to do too much at one go, dampening the sense of urgency and chaos the scene should have portrayed. The immense columns and glittering statues also seem to be purely aesthetic, rather than purposive – choices that do not further the plot in any way.

The performances are equally mixed. Some actors are fantastic; Peter Forbes really kills it as Menenius, spewing witty remarks and successfully evoking the audience’s sympathy when he is shunned by Coriolanus at the end of the play. Stephanie Street and Jordan Metcalfe are also great as the manipulative duo Sicinius and Brutus, who turn the people’s sympathies against the titular character. Personally, I felt that the best casting choice was Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Aufidius, who was utterly believable as the mighty, yet politically savvy, antagonist who is directly responsible for Coriolanus’ demise.

David Oyelowo as Coriolanus. Photo Credit: Misan Harriman

However, I felt that Oyelowo’s performance did not quite hit the mark. His portrayal of Coriolanus in the first two Acts bordered more on a hesitant, uncertain political appointee than a brash and callous military leader. The only time he really shone was during Coriolanus’ monologue, which was a pity because this sliver of Act 3 really offered a glimpse into Oyelowo’s capability as an actor. The remaining cast also fails to create a strong impression with their performances. The lines seemed to be recited for the sake of it, without really highlighting the complexities of some character dynamics, such as Volumnia living vicariously through her son’s valour.

Granted, Coriolanus is not an easy play to adapt, and the reason why this adaptation struggles may be due to just that. Coriolanus is not exactly known to be the most sympathetic or nuanced of Shakespeare’s protagonists, and any depth in the play arises more from the relationships between the characters (or classes of characters) than their individual multitudes. So while everyone has been itching to stage this play in the last decade, it takes a lot of work to make a truly exceptional adaptation. Turner’s adaptation was by no means bad, but it did not blow me out of the water.

★★★

Coriolanus plays at the National's Olivier Theatre until 9 November.