Coriolanus - Ralph Fiennes - Linus Roche - Jonathan Dove - Mark Henderson - Paul Brown
Almeida Theatre at Gainsborough Studios - Shoreditch
Prince Charles Foundation
Vittorio Gassman - Camper - The Festival dei Due Mondi - Spoleto
En route to see "Coriolanus"
at the Gainsborough
Studios I wondered
why, in this part
of London, there was
such a huge traffic
jam - Bentleys, Rolls,
stretch limousines
etc., etc. - when
who should pass but
Prince Charles and
Camilla en route to
celebrate the opening
of the new Prince Charles
Foundation home. The
guests were mainly
American and included
Lauren Bacall. Most
female guests were
dressed in gold and
darlings, you must
buy the rubber tablecloth
- the ultimate in
chic! Shoreditch was
the place to be and
I was there.
The Gainsborough Studios
are on the banks of
Regent's Canal and
are dubbed "Hollywood
by the Canal".
The original interior
of the Studios was
razed to the ground
leaving a "cathedral-like"
space. They then built
three levels for the
public around this
space hoping the public
would think this was
how they found it.
They constructed a
fissure at the back
of the stage symbolising
the end of power for
Richard II and the
changing power of
Coriolanus in Rome.This
is the idea of the
Almeida Theatre to
celebrate Shakespeare
in this vast space.
The space has also
been used for Alexander
McQueen's fashion
show and the exhibition
to celebrate Hitchcock's
Centenary. The performance
by the Russian violinist
Viktoria Mullova will
be the last event
before the Gainsborough
Studios are demolished
to make way for luxury
flats! Very sad, particularly
as Shakespeare himself
lived closed by in
Holywell Lane where
he began acting and
writing; also Hitchcock
and Carol Reed began
their careers at the
Studio. It is such
a shame that all this
history is being destroyed.
"Coriolanus"
was Shakespeare's
political tragedy.
Ralph Fiennes (www.ovrdedge.simplenet.com/rf/filmography/sunshine/macleans.html)
played Caius Martius,
afterwards Coriolanus.
It is all very dramatic
with Fiennes covered
in blood, wildly brandishing
his sword including
wonderful storm and
fork lightening effects
by designer Paul Brown,
lighting by Mark Henderson
and music by Jonathan
Dove - all giving
a great overall effect
of war. The same company,
who produced Richard
II for the Almeida,
again under the direction
of Jonathan Dove produced
"Coriolanus".
Through
the Perspex covering
the fissure could
be seen the dark drips
of blood, luminous
rain and smoke, even
snow. In the centre
of the floor was transparent
glass that glowed
white or red depending
on the emotion of
the play. When Coriolanus
comes back on stage
after the war dressed
in ordinary, non-military
clothing, with brilliantined
hair he reminded me
of the Italian politician,
Silvio Berlusconi
who with his up-and-down
power struggles has
a parallel with Coriolanus.
In Italy now, as in
the Rome of Coriolanus'
time, there is a big
struggle in North
versus South for power.
In the Vatican they
are already debating
- because the Pope
is old and ill - who
will take his place.
The Government Opposition
is calling for an
immediate Election,
but the present Government
wants the election
in 2001. During the
interval, the Perspex
is removed, leaving
the fissure as an
entrance/exit for
the actors. The second
Act concerns Coriolanus'
relationship with
his mother Volumnia,
played by Barbara
Jefford who gave the
greatest performance
of the play in her
role as the monster-mother
glorying in the gore
of war. She was also
an expert in emotion
blackmail. I found
it great because I
emulate her as a mother!
Linus Roche plays
Tullus Aufidius who
appears to have a
homoerotic relationship
with Coriolanus. I
personally felt this
too judging by the
physical closeness
of the two men. The
stabbing of Coriolanus
by Tullus at the end
was not merely a question
of the latter's power
over Coriolanus but
jealousy of Coriolanus'
closeness to his mother
on whom he is dependent.
To close, I found the
interview with Ken
Follett and David
Frost on "Breakfast
With Frost" on
2 July amazing. Especially
the fact that Follett
(one of Blair's spin-doctors),
was holding the programme
of "Coriolanus"
against the background
of the Gainsborough
Studios. Is there
a message in this
somewhere as Coriolanus
and "spin doctor"
Follett are in a power
struggle? Follett
turning on Blair as
Tullus turned on Coriolanus.
Whilst on the subject
of Shakespeare, many
believe that Vittorio
Gassman (who died
recently) was perhaps
the greatest Italian
Shakespearean actor
of his time. He played
a wonderful Hamlet
and in Otello he alternated
as Iago and the Moor.
He was one of the
greatest stars of
stage, screen and
television, although
he was better at comedy
rather than tragedy.
He was born in Genoa
and after dropping
out of the National
Academy of Dramatic
Art, he made his stage
debut at the age of
20 in Milan. After
the Second World War,
he worked in many
of Visconti's productions,
quite revolutionary
at the time. He went
to Hollywood and worked
with Robert Altman
in films such as "A
Wedding" (1978)
and "Quintet"
(1979). He was also
seen in "Sleepers"
alongside Robert de
Niro and Dustin Hoffman.
He was a classical
actor performing in
such wide-raging roles
as Sophocles to Shakespeare,
Kafka to Gregory Corso,
and Pasolini.
His second marriage
to Shelley Winters
helped further his
ambitions in the USA.
Shelley, his daughter
Victoria and her two
babies attended his
funeral. He was accorded
a state funeral attended
by the President of
the Republic of Italy
and Italians stars
including Alberto
Sordi, Monica Vitti,
Fanny Ardant, and
Nino Manfredi. The
Italian people came
from all over Italy
to pay their respects.
Last year Gassman was
performing in "Camper"
in the Festival dei
Due Mondi in Spoleto,
Umbria and this year
the Festival paid
homage to him with
one minute's silence
at the opening of
the Festival. The
Festival was the creation
of the composer Giancarlo
Menotti, together
with Thomas Schipa.
This Festival has
great sentimentality
for me as I had a
gift shop for 10 years
at the Festival, just
while it was on. It
was at this time of
my life that I had
my first taste of
Opera, Ballet, and
Theatre, which has
given me a life-long
interest in the arts.
The Festival takes
place each year in
Spoleto in Italy and
Charleston in the
States. Spoleto is
a medieval city in
Umbria set on a hill
with a most beautiful
piazza and cathedral.
On the last day of
the Festival, they
have a concert in
the piazza.
Each year I rented
a flat for the duration
of the Festival in
one of the medieval
buildings that line
the narrow main street
of Spoleto, Via di
Fontesecca. I had
a wonderful social
life because the aristocracy,
stars, "beautiful
people" were
customers at my shop.
But I would particularly
like to remember the
Baroness who I hold
in great affection
as she was godmother
to my daughter and
very kind to me when
I was in danger of
aborting Francesca,
recommending me to
her own Doctor in
Spoleto and taking
care of me generally
during that worrying
time. It was a very
exciting time in my
life as I went out
for cocktails, dinners
at famous restaurants
- the Umbrians are
such a friendly people
and I still have great
friends there.
