Lost from view from a quarter of a century, its reputation obscured by a ridiculous court case, Howard Brenton’s epic drama of invasion and occupation finally emerges triumphant in this extraordinary and exhilarating major revival by Sam West.
Written at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, it is a complex study of conflict, change and the way in which war damages society, crushing old orders and raising new ones.
But the remarkable thing about the piece is that, far from being dated, it remains as relevant now as it ever was, astonishing in the way that it holds a mirror to today’s international situation.
West’s passion for Brenton’s use of language and imagery is obvious but he also understands the need to create a visual style that is equally memorable.
Ralph Koltai’s brilliant set, a vast, fallen tree casting its shadow over a woodland pool, creates an almost alien landscape perfect for the time shifts in Brenton’s story as it moves from the beginning to end of the Roman occupation of Britain and then on to Ireland in the seventies.
It is a play of unforgettable set pieces, the most obvious being the moment which led to the Old Bailey trial, a male rape scene which still maintains its power to shock and disturb.
Yet under West’s sensitive and imaginative direction, it is raw, vivid and unexpectedly humorous, an arresting moment of high drama which has nothing to do with sex but everything to do with power and control.
Add to that a first act finale in which West pulls out all the stops to create a moment of jaw-dropping excitement, a scene of truly epic theatre on the grand scale.
An outstanding cast include’s Tom Mannion’s cool, commanding Julius Caesar, Dan Stevens as the defiled young priest, an outstanding bit of doubling up from Judith Scott as both a formidable British earth mother and a redoubtable Roman matron and Guy Williams as a drunk and disillusioned undercover SAS officer.
It’s taken a long time for anybody to have the nerve to tackle such controversial material. Congratulations to Sam West for not only having the courage to take on the challenge but also for creating a truly entertaining, thought-provoking and memorable night of great theatre.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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