Directed by Iqbal Khan, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2017 revival of the Bard’s late drama about the demise of the Roman Republic—part history, part tragedy, part romance—proves a mixed bag in which the approaches taken by the leads seem at war with one another. On the one hand, Ben Allen draws a sharp, subtle portrait of the cunning Octavius Caesar, whose machinations against his Roman rival Mark Antony—a man besotted by Egyptian queen Cleopatra—result in the former’s assumption of absolute power. By contrast, Antony Byrne’s turn as Antony is blunt, unvarying, and a trifle dull. The joker in the deck is Cleopatra, described in the play itself as a woman of "infinite variety," a description that Josette Simon embodies by playing her as a preening, mercurial diva whose emotions and vocal inflections shift depending on her momentary moods. The three performances fail to mesh very comfortably, but their awkward combination still makes for an intriguing (if not entirely convincing) interpretation of a work whose disparate parts themselves never fully gel. The visual approach is fairly traditional, with togas, legionary uniforms, and cat statues predominating, and except for a misguided accent or two the supporting cast is strong. Antony and Cleopatra may not be one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays, but if one is looking for a filmed version, this is far preferable to the plodding 1972 vanity project for Charlton Heston. Extras include an audio commentary by the director, cast interviews, a behind-the-scenes featurette on the music score, and a cast gallery. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
Antony and Cleopatra
(2017) 184 min. DVD: $24.99, Blu-ray: $29.99. Opus Arte (dist. by Naxos of America). Volume 33, Issue 4
Antony and Cleopatra
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