Imperium I – Conspirator / Imperium II - Dictator
The Royal Shakespeare Company has produced a fantastic
dramatisation of Robert Harris’s trilogy of books covering the life of Roman
politician and philosopher Cicero.
The seven hours of theatre flies by
in the two performances at the Gielgud theatre.
The first play Imperium I –
Conspirator covers the period of Cicero’s ascent from a humble background to
become consul of Rome. After that it is downhill, as Cicero struggles to
safeguard the principles of the Republic and the rule of law against the mob,
cleverly manipulated by rising dictator Julius Caesar.
The second play: Dictator covers
Caesars time in power, his demise and the fall out that follows.
Mike Poulton brilliantly adapts
Harris’s work for the stage, bringing nice touches of humour to lighten the
atmosphere – a technique he used previously to effect in adapting Hilary
Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies for the stage.
It is amazing how much of Harris’s
books, Imperium, Lustrum and Dictator, that Poulton manages to retain in the
stage narrative. Much of the first book, which focuses on the rise of Cicero,
is condensed down to a brief look at his sea change prosecution of the corrupt
governor of Sicily Varres
Then the focus is on the battle to
offset powerful forces, with power hungry individuals like Caesar and Marcus
Crassus, continually conspiring to overthrow the republic.
Beyond Rome, much of the time, is
Pompey, with his massed armies. He holds much power, demonstrated when he
delivers a list of what he wants on return to Rome after a victory. The implication
being that if his demands are not met, he will simply march his legions into
Rome and take over as dictator.
Cicero himself experiences a
momentous ascent to the heights of being lauded as the father of Rome, for saving
it from a rebellion led by Cateline but backed by Caesar.
Pride though then takes over, leading
onto a fall that forces Cicero to be stripped of many of his possessions and
forced to leave the country.
Poulton’s linking with the present
day political situation gives the production added poignancy. Pompey (played by
Christopher Saul) is a hardly concealed characterisation of Donald Trump. The hair
is obvious but cleverly from some angles Saul really does look like the US
president.
There are the amusing asides, such as
Cicero declaring stupid people elect stupid leaders.
But perhaps where Poulton most
clearly makes the link between present and past is in bringing home the rapid
change there can be in political situation. How once the mob is rallied
institutions like the Republic and rule of law can so easily be swept aside.
Robert Harris himself made the point
that the assumption that democratic institutions of the type that we have
enjoyed over the past century have some preordained permanence is a mistake.
They are relatively recent constructions that can just as easily be swept away
- in the same way as happened in Rome.
Democracy today is still in its
infancy, with a long way to go. We don’t for instance have an educated and
informed electorate – something that is crucial to the effective working of
democracy.
At present democracy is on the
retreat in many areas of the world, whilst authoritarianism is on the ascent –
often backed by the ignorant mob.
Imperium – Conspirator and Dictator
offer seven hours of fantastic absorbing theatre. Brilliant performances abound
across the cast, with particularly outstanding contributions from Richard
McCabe as Cicero and Peter de Jersey as Caesar.
The power of the adaptation of Harris’s
great trilogy is in condensing so much of the story into a lively narrative
that has contemporary relevance for today. One of the best dramatisation of
outstanding books to hit the West End for some time.
*Imperium I Conspirator/ Imperium II
Dictator run at the Gielgud Theatre till 8 September 2018
No comments:
Post a Comment