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Coriolanus Shakespeare's final tragedy is an epic play addressing the forces between social groups. Setting the action in the context of 1930s Fascism, loosely enough to allow us to draw references to any Fascist regime or political climate, Steven Berkoff forms an ensemble comprising the fragments of society: servants, soldiers, spear carriers, rebels, citizens, messengers and peasants, who, untied by their common strength, become a protean, flexible, moving mass. The target of the mass becomes Coriolanus, the ambitious and arrogant Roman general. In those times great warriors became, in a sense, the city states they defended. So to the common man, Coriolanus is Rome. Berkoff's ensemble of actors use their bodies and voices to become the environment, creating it out of the air. The players' bodies mime special effects, sets, weapons and props. The physical language of Berkoff's meticulously choreographed direction, often stunning and frequently humorous, perfectly complements the powerful language and wit of Shakespeare's play. |
DVD Region
0 (region free).
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