Cymbeline by Shakespeare - ★★★☆☆
Cliché candlelit dinners, and illuminated concerts sweep across the city, but now it’s time to experience theatre by candlelight with Shakespearean charm, for the latest rendition of a play that is less frequently performed, but still contains a multitude of essential tragicomedy ingredients. We are invited to witness forbidden love, war, mistaken identity, death, duty, honour and of course, a heavy dose of comic relief at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.
Cymbeline directed by Jennifer Tang, is a re-telling of the 1600s script, placing a focus on female talent for roles that were traditionally male, including Cymbeline (Martina Laird), Posthumus (Nadi Kemp-Sayfi), Cornelia, and Belaria (Madeline Appiah). Soundscapes created by Laura Moody, Angela Wai Nok Hui, and Heidi Heidelberg lay the ambient groundwork from beginning to end. The company use their voices as instruments to sing, hum, and wail alongside rhythms created by natural elements, to mimic the intensity of each earth-toned, tender and callous moment.
The play opens with Belaria, a standout throughout, who narrates and informs the audience at the beginning, setting a tone that echoes ‘the female is future’ sentiment by shedding light on the troubles caused by men’s actions. There are several subplots that we journey with, but the main plot follows Cymbeline, and her daughter Innogen (Gabrielle Brooks). Innogen embarks on navigating life with a disapproving mother, and a same-sex, secret marriage to Posthumus, a mere commoner. Posthumus is banished, and encounters the villainous, calculating and salacious Lachimo (Pierro Niel-Mee) who sets up a bet against Innogen’s fidelity. As the story unfolds, deceit and assumption plague the characters, and we see adoration and obsession quickly shift to bloodthirsty hatred.
We later see Lachimo attempt to lure innocent Innogen to infidelity. Although his unsuccessful attempts provide the height of humour with sharp, flirty wit, the audience ultimately miss out on any potential chemistry in the pursuit of seducing Innogen, due to her being openly gay. Moments like this, along with encounters with the conceited, and entitled Colten (Jordan Mifsúd) made some of the power dynamics, patriarchal problems, and wider themes disjointed due to the gender-swapping of key roles. Despite this, it is thought provoking that whether performed as the original text, or through Tang’s modern lens, we are still putting a magnifying glass to misogyny (be it blatant or internalised) and the obsession with female sexuality, or lack thereof. A key part of the play is betting on Innogen’s romantic behaviour, as two characters are bidding on being able to have sexual ownership over her.
Overall, entertaining scenes from Cymbeline are peppered with romance, attempted seduction, assumed betrayal, and military conflict. The finale creates a beautiful picture of humility, and forgiveness, and showcases the healing of restoration with both family and foe. It is a shame that a performance titled Cymbeline, did not position Cymbeline as one of the more memorable characters, despite her regal status. However, it is well worth the watch, even to catch a glimmer of Brook’s teary eyes glistening by the flicker of candlelight, as she delivers a heartfelt and gripping performance through the highs and lows of love, loss and loyalty.
★★★☆☆
By Nadia Mantock.
Cymbeline is showing at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse until 20 April.