James McAvoy as Cyrano de Bergerac. Credit: Marc Brenner Cyrano de
Bergerac, Playhouse Theatre review 4 Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse
Theatre review Lucy Brooks Edmond Rostand’s 1897 French classic
Cyrano de Bergerac is adapted by playwright Martin Crimp for a new,
rap-fuelled production at the Playhouse Theatre, directed by Jamie
Lloyd. Scottish star James McAvoy ( X-Men , His Dark Materials )
returns from his adventures in the north to play the titular character
– a soldier and poet with a comically large nose – bringing
masterful lyricism, hints of vulnerability and, fittingly, panache to
the role. The production is the first in a new West End season from
the Jamie Lloyd Theatre Company, whose previous successes include
Betrayal starring Tom Hiddleston , The Homecoming and The Maids . The
story follows Cyrano de Bergerac, ‘The man with the nose / And the
acres of high-brow wet-dream prose’, who is in love with his distant
cousin, the beautiful and intelligent Roxane. While de Bergerac’s
weapon – his words – are a tour de force fit to see him defeat
each of his fellow poets-cum-rappers in battle, his comically large
nose renders him too unattractive to win Roxane’s affections. Eben
Figueiredo (Christian) & Anita-Joy Uwajeh (Roxane). Photo: Marc
Brenner She has her eye on the handsome but near illiterate Christian,
anyway, who loves her too. So Cyrano forsakes his own happiness,
crafting eloquent letters and speeches to help Christian win Roxane's
heart. But will being the man behind the pen ever be enough for the
story’s hero? The play opens in a French theatre in the year 1640,
we’re told. But as the curtain rises on a cast dressed in
contemporary clothing and led by female beatboxer Vaneeka Dadhria,
Lloyd’s production instantly feels modern. Similarly, while much of
Crimp’s script stays true to Rostand’s original rhyming couplet
form, with references to cultural appropriation and Roxane (a cool
Anita-Joy Uwajeh) sighing angrily over being subjected to the male
gaze, the show feels distinctly contemporary. Anita-Joy Uwajeh
(Roxane), Eben Figueiredo (Christian) and James McAvoy (Cyrano de
Bergerac). Photo: Marc Brenner Lloyd’s production consistently
breaks the fourth wall, with characters addressing their lines to us,
the audience, rather than the recipient of their words. It works,
particularly in the context of Roxane and Christian’s letter-led
relationship, and makes the wordy script accessible and enthralling
for school groups and seasoned West End-goers alike. McAvoy will be
the draw for many to come and see this revival of a 120-year-old
French play, and they won’t be disappointed. He’s adept at
shrugging personas on and off, and plays the entertainer with, well,
serious 'panache'. (It was Rostand’s play, after all, that
introduced the word to the English language.) In a break from
tradition, Lloyd’s production does not see McAvoy fitted with a mask
or prosthetic nose. Instead, it’s on the audience to suspend their
disbelief and imagine the colossal conk is there. Is this enough to
have us believe McAvoy’s de Bergerac is unattractive? Not on
appearance alone. However, through his performance, which swings from
controlling the stage with witty lyricisms, to momentary teary-eyed
vulnerability when talking to pastry chef Leila (a compelling and
commanding Michele Austin), we sure as hell believe in his underlying
lack of self-confidence. James McAvoy (Cyrano de Bergerac). Photo:
Marc Brenner Under the careful direction of Lloyd (and supervision of
fight movement specialist Kate Waters), de Bergerac’s secondary love
of duelling is cleverly tied into his talent for poetry; his rap
battles are enacted as physical duels that are spectacular to watch in
all their drama. Ultimately, Cyrano de Bergerac is a play about wooing
and wounding with words. In the hands of the Jamie Lloyd Theatre
Company, this brilliantly lyrical, quick-witted play feels
refreshingly modern and fit to entertain new audiences. So: To Cyrano
de Bergerac you should go / And prepare to see McAvoy steal the show.
(Sorry.) Tickets for Cyrano de Bergerac at the Playhouse Theatre are
now on sale. Click here to book. What Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse
Theatre review Where Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, London,
WC2N 5DE | MAP Nearest tube Embankment (underground) When 27 Nov 19
– 29 Feb 20, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM Price £15+ Website Click here for
more information
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01/03/2020 Last update