This is a labour of love. Hilary Mantel has adapted The Mirror and the Light, the third novel of her Tudor trilogy, in collaboration with actor Ben Miles.
‘The physicality of Bailey’s direction serves the play well’: GHOSTS – Northampton ★★★★
A CLEANSING FURY FROM THE 1880s Wipes you out every time, Ibsen’s furious, shocking, violent assault on the cruel decayed conventions of his century’s end. Its indecency – a plot driven by syphilis, prostitution, illegitimacy, … Continue reading →
Text of the Day: Imperium – Dictator
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
‘Great writing, clever production, brilliantly acted’: IMPERIUM – West End
I thoroughly enjoyed the RSC’s Imperium. Great writing, clever production, brilliantly acted. Overall, a great day out in Ancient Rome.
Text of the Day: Imperium – Conspirator
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
‘Certainly a major theatrical event’: IMPERIUM – West End
This is certainly a major theatrical event — Cicero’s speeches, with their mixture of sarcasm and idealism, are great, but not everyone will enjoy the comic interpretation of some of these characters, and the storytelling does get a bit bogged down in the second part.
‘Has a real thrill factor’: IMPERIUM I – CONSPIRATOR – West End
First seen at the RSC last winter, Mike Poulton’s adaptation of Robert Harris’ Cicero novels have a suitably epic feel to them and, anchored by an excellent lead performance from Richard McCabe, also have a real thrill factor.
‘An ambitious & thoroughly enjoyable theatrical experience’: IMPERIUM – West End
The life of an extraordinary man living through an extraordinary age is too large for one play, and here the latter two novels of Robert Harris’ Cicero trilogy are adapted into two separate plays (Conspirator and Dictator).
‘Remains impressively exciting & gripping’: IMPERIUM II – DICTATOR – West End
Imperium II: Dictator continues a compelling look at (Roman) politics at the Gielgud Theatre but I do feel obliged to point out just how male-heavy the piece skews.
‘Constantly intense & gripping’: IMPERIUM – West End ★★★★★
Imperium is a powerful production of a story that is strikingly relatable to audiences watching it in 2018. A brilliant and lavish production – highly recommended.
‘This political saga is to be treasured’: IMPERIUM – Stratford-upon-Avon (RSC) ★★★★★
Either play stands alone – the first perhaps more easily than the second – but together the rich intelligence and lively wisdom of this political, intimate saga is to be treasured.
‘Politics is a dirty business’: IMPERIUM – Stratford-upon-Avon (RSC) ★★★★★
Murder, ambition, back-stabbing and sex. Politics is a dirty business but never less than thrilling in Mike Poulton’s Imperium, his terrific adaptation of Robert Harris’s Cicero Trilogy.
NEWS: Richard McCabe stars as Cicero in RSC adaptation of Robert Harris’ Imperium, Full cast
Casting has been announced for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s highly anticipated stage premiere of Robert Harris’ Roman trilogy, Imperium, which will be led by Olivier and Tony Award winner Richard McCabe (The Audience) as Cicero, Siobhan Redmon as his wife Terenia and Joseph Kloska as his servant Tiro.
NEWS: RSC adapts Robert Harris’ Cicero novels for stage; New season announced
Royal Shakespeare Company Artistic Director Gregory Doran today announced the company’s winter 2017 season, including the world premiere of Imperium, an epic, two-part page-to-stage adaptation of Robert Harris‘ best-selling novels about Roman politician Cicero, adapted by Wolf Hall‘s Mike Poulton and directed by Doran, and the West End transfer of Helen Edmundson‘s new play Queen Anne, starring Romola Garai and Emma …
A TALE OF TWO CITIES – Touring
What the Dickens? The adaptation of one of Charles Dickens’ most famous works, A Tale of Two Cities, at Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre this week as part of a national tour, has more than a few misfires but finally proves an entertaining melodrama.
NEWS: Mike Poulton’s Rattigan-inspired Kenny Morgan gets second run at Arcola
Arcola Theatre’s production of Kenny Morgan will return for just four weeks this September after a sold-out premiere earlier this year. It will run at the Arcola from Tuesday 20 September to Saturday 15 October 2016, with a press night on Friday 23 September.
Weekly Theatre Podcast: Threepenny Opera, Kenny Morgan, A Subject of Scandal & Concern
This week the London theatre bloggers discuss Simon Stephens new version of Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera at the National, Mike Poulton’s take on Rattigan, Kenny Morgan, at the Arcola, and John Osborne revival A Subject of Scandal and Concern at the Finborough Theatre.
KENNY MORGAN – Arcola Theatre
The Deep Blue Sea is Terence Rattigan’s masterpiece (and about to play at the National Theatre). A young woman who has left her eminent older husband for an alcoholic young fighter-pilot is found at the start lying by a gas fire, being revived by down-at-heel neighbours after a suicide attempt in a shabby boarding-house. It is, in the end, redemptive. But in real life the three ill-starred lovers were men: young Kenny Morgan had left Rattigan for a younger lover and was being left in his turn by Alec Lennox. And Morgan died; Rattigan, after long minutes of silent shock at the news, resolved to make a play.
KENNY MORGAN – Arcola Theatre
Mike Poulton’s powerful play is brought to heartbreaking life in this production directed by Lucy Bailey. Kenny Morgan tells the story of the actor Kenneth Morgan and his turbulent relationship with his on and off partner Terence Rattigan and his difficult relationship with current partner Alec Lennox.
KENNY MORGAN – Arcola Theatre
‘You can’t start with a pause’ says Birdboot to Moon at the top of Tom Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound, but Mike Poulton and director Lucy Bailey disprove this most successfully as Paul Keating lies before an unlit hissing gas fire in the opening scene of Kenny Morgan. It parallels Terrence Rattigan’s The Deep Blue Sea where Hester Collyer attempts suicide when discarded by her virile, alcoholic younger lover.