Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Red Bull’s red-blooded production of CORIOLANUS is timely, must-see Shakespeare

• By drediman
• November 7, 2016
• No Comments

Dion Johnstone and the company of Red Bull’s production of “Coriolanus” at the Barrow Street Theatre

Yesterday at the Barrow Street Theatre, I was able to catch Red Bull Theater’s red-blooded production of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, just in time for tomorrow’s election. Even if Coriolanus doesn’t exhibit the existential depths of the Bard’s more famous tragedies, it’s nonetheless gripping political theater of the highest order with many themes that remain relevant to this day – the nature of democracy, compromise within the political system, the benefits (or the lack thereof) of popular rule. In many ways, the play is a precursor to Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People, a play which shares many of these same themes (a production of Ibsen’s play just shuttered this past weekend; the two would have made for fascinating back-to-back viewings).

Red Bull’s Coriolanus finds the company in tip-top shape. Indeed, I don’t think I recall ever seeing a Red Bull production that matches this one in terms of clarity, power, and style, thanks in large part to director Michael Sexton’s bold but carefully considered work. Set and lighting designer Brett J. Banakis has turned the Barrow Street Theater into an immersive Shakespearean playground that impresses with both its brutal architectural specificity, as well as its flexibility. Without a doubt, this Coriolanus is one of the must-see Shakespearean productions of the New York theater season.

The hard-working cast is tremendous, and it’s just crammed with superb classical performances. In the title role, Dion Johnstone is nothing less than riveting, bringing nobility, sympathy, and a sense of urgency to every scene. As his mother, Lisa Harrow is equally magnetic, especially in her second act plea scene with her son. Other standouts in this deluxe clast include Aaron Krohn as the army general Cominius, Patrick Page as the politician caught in the middle Menenius, and Stephen Spinella as the scheming tribune Sicinius.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

CORIOLANUS
Off-Broadway, Play
Red Bull Theater at the Barrow Street Theatre
2 hours, 40 minutes (with one intermission)
Through November 20