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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA Today

Posted by:	sergius 07:40 pm EDT 03/09/14

I've only seen ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA once before, so I'm not sure how much this "edited" version alters Shakespeare's purpose--and I'm not convinced Shakespeare needs a dramaturg--but the principal conceit here is a good one. Setting the play in Napoleonic France and Haiti clarifies aspects of Shakespeare's tale of colonialism and love. In the face of its allure, the other must be dominated and controlled; love, then, is basically colonization. Regrettably, the execution of this psychologically astute perspective is only partly commanding. Jonathan Cake, who is always very good and sometimes smashing when he's well paired, is mostly left to his own devices here. Joaquina Kalukango is an entirely unpersuasive Cleopatra and, to boot, she's often indecipherable. So the production frequently stumbles when it should soar. With no real heat between the lovers, the play's just about geopolitical dominion, and Shakespeare, sans copy editor, has written much better versions of that play.

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