Road to the Globe: Troilus & Cressida

The universality of Shakespeare's plays is nicely demonstrated in Mike Jonathan's documentary about the preparation of an unusual production of Shakespeare's romantic tragedy Troilus & Cressida—set against the backdrop of the Trojan War—for London's Globe Theatre. An entry in the “Globe to Globe” project to stage all of the Bard's works by companies from different countries in their native languages as part of the 2012 Olympics, this Troilus involved translation into the Maori language of the indigenous Polynesians of New Zealand to be performed by the Ngakau Toa company of Rawiri Paratene (an actor best known for his role in the film Whale Rider). Jonathan follows the staging from its genesis and rehearsals up through its triumphant presentation as the London festival's opening play. Viewers will be fascinated by how the action is transposed to the classical Maori world of rival tribes whose combatants engage in extraordinarily vigorous war dances as the doomed love between a youthful couple plays out. The success of the venture was also a personal triumph for Paratene, a longtime activist in the movement to preserve Maori culture (the Maori language, formerly suppressed by government fiat, finally won official national status in 1987 alongside English). A unique and inspiring documentary, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)