Antony and Cleopatra

It would be true to say that this tragic love story has never been much of a favourite in the Shakespearian repertoire. It lacks the apparent simplicity and indeed the charm of the evergreen Romeo & Juliet. Nonetheless, this 1974 production was a seminal one and Richard Johnson and Nunn's then wife Janet Suzman make for an exceptional coupling in the title roles.

Most classical actors dream or dreamt of playing the latter pair of lovers that is to say ‘Romeo’ and ‘Juliet’, not so many the former. Although Gielgud, Olivier and Redgrave all played ‘Antony’ just as Katherine Cornell, Vivien Leigh and of course, Dame Peggy Ashcroft were ‘Cleopatra’. Indeed if this production had not had received the considerable plaudits it did at the time we would not have had this TV presentation so ably directed by both Scoffield and Nunn. The play has long been considered a 'problematic one' and there simply isn’t the space here to go into the plot at length (it is well worth looking it up mind you). In many respects this play is from the viewpoint of ‘Marcus Antonius’ (a sequel of sorts to ‘Julius Caesar’) where our ambitious Mark isn’t necessarily the hero - if we look at it from Brutus' point of view. Here he is somewhat older and spends most of his time not in his native Rome but in Egypt with the true love of his life: the queen of the Nile herself, the complex and beautiful Cleopatra! However, as you guessed trouble is brewing as back in Rome, Antony's wife Fulvia has died and rival senator Pompey is causing a lot of trouble.

Antony returns as part of a controlling triumvirate - the others being the fair minded Lepidas (Raymond Westwell) and the haughty, disdainful and autocratic Octavius Caesar (a good part for Corin Redgrave). Caesar is a little peeved, to say the least, with Antony's apparent idling and lack of allegiance. Great leveler Agrippa (Phillip Locke) suggests a compromise. This should unite Antony and Mark and to an extent placate Pompey; who is given Sicily to rule over. The compromise is that Anthony marries Octavia (Mary Rutherford), Caesar's sister. It is agreed but we all know it will never work as Antony loves Cleopatra unto death and she loves him. Things are set to go horribly wrong for our lovers and as the soothsayer predicts they will not live long! There will be the usual misunderstandings abounding all over the place, resulting in tragic consequences for most of the protagonists (which is only too common ground with our immortal bard).

Richard Johnson was a fine and much more versatile Shakespearian actor than he was given credit for (a career as a film actor may have had something to do with this). Here he almost underplays - but with a macho nobility that may have been lacking in the three great knights mentioned earlier. Dame Janet Suzman achieves great heights as the Egyptian Queen and comes perilously close to ham on occasion. However, she is too clever an actress to go over the brink. Yes, awesome was the word at the time one is told. Redgrave adds considerable gravity as Octavius - a man who never smiles (not that we get many smiles in this heavyweight piece). A cracking cast of support actors include Patrick Stewart’s stalwart ‘Enobarbus’ and Rosemary McHale’s ‘Charmian’ - Cleopatra's servant and advisor. Then RSC resident composer Guy Woolfenden was never one to hit the wrong note and here gives as another all too appropriate title score. Costumes are sumptuous though that typical Egyptian make-up (exaggerated kohl-rimmed eyes etc.) is barely there, especially in Cleopatra’s case. The drawn-out death scenes may not be to everyone’s taste but that’s Shakespearean drama for you!