Antony & Cleopatra (2018)

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National Theatre Live's 2018 production of Antony and Cleopatra, with Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo in the title roles is a lively, often funny, but of course epically tragic, staging of Shakespeare's play. The modern dress wasn't universally acceptable by my watch-mates, but I think it works for the portrait of a power couple as we understand the concept today, especially when Cleopatra is going to be wearing Beyonce's wardrobe. Two massive egos in love, the man's fragile, the woman's thus dominant. Shakespeare's Cleopatra of course comes off as a thunderous drama queen, but she won't be told no. She actively tries to force the world in her image - see the scene where she tries to change a piece of bad news into a good one, or the several scenes really - and her power really is that of a god. The Bard allows her will to influence the action, and so Antony will screw up an important battle by following her rather than his strategy, and in the final act, she is so convinced of her death, her kisses are lethal. The best part of the play for me will always be Antony's botched suicide and her memorable, successful one - images of weakness and strength that, in each character, correspond to their tragic flaw, ironic though it seem to say that of "strength". The captured performance isn't without its line fluffs (it's mutineer, not muniteer, man), but Fiennes and Okenodo are never short of amazing. 4 years ago