Coriolanus Shakespeare's greatest political play

By Gwen Herat from the Globe, London

All the world at the Globe and only at the Globe. Sitting out in the open with the sky as the roof, basking in the afternoon sun, it is a unique experience to watch Shakespeare's greatest political play with its rampaging ferocity and crafty yarn around the 17 century pirate world. All the energy, history and warmth within the oak that the Globe is made with and funnelles each performance like the one I am watching just now. There is something alchemical connected to the air that is spellbinding. Is it because this is one of my favourite plays of the Bard? Or is it because I am seated at his Globe? Or is the muscular and sinuous poetry of Coriolanus? They all beckons me this afternoon.

On the serious side, the narrative of the Roman Empire with its violent opening, its apogee of civility and its decline into confusion, throws up any number of parallels with the world of today. ie questions of citizenship, of political priorities of the wisdom of foreign adversaries (Barak Obama comes to my mind) the folly of vengeance, the space for breathing within these plays, they relate to the world nations. Constant strife exists between the powerful aristocracy and the hungry citizens of Rome.

Many in the city yearn for peace but influential politicians know that their positions at home are secured my military. Into this ferment strides the inflexible patrician general Caius Martius, fresh from his victory over the hated Volscians. Martius' distaste for the ordinary Roman people is exposed and exploited by his political rivals because of which he is thrown into a humiliating exile. But Martius' appetite for war and violence is insatiable.

Set in the early Roman republic, Coriolanus is Shakespeare's greatest political play. The competing claims for democracy and aristocracy are conveyed in harsh and stony language and with relentless speed and single mindedness. At its heart, however, and against a lively background of citizens and soldiers, unfolds a personal tragedy of one man's emotional blindness.

Directed by Dominic Dromgoole to the music of William Lyons, Coriolanus is spectacularly acted by Jonathan Cake, Minenius is Robin Seans while Margot Leicester is very emotional as voluminous. Cominius is portrayed by Joseph Marcell while Mo Sesay gives life to Aufidius. The rest of the cast also contains many thespians and the play comes out loud and clear to the set designs of Mike Britton.

Coriolanus written in 1607-8 is founded on North's Plutarch and projects Caius Marcius as an arrogant patrician who loaths the common people who are the hungry plebeians of Rome.

They in turn, return his hate. He shows off so much personal bravery in the defeat of the Volscians, led by Tullus Aufidius that he is bestowed with the name of Coriolanus. This derived from the town of Corioli which is the stronghold of Volcian. In Rome, he is chosen as the candidate for the consulship. Detesting the obligatory exhibition of humility in public, he carries it out with contempt though the Tribunes of the People are in venomous opposition.

Accusing Coriolanus to be traitor to the Roman people, they urge the plebeians to demand his death.

After awhile, he goes into exile to seek his enemy Aufidius who at Antium is planning a fresh attack.

This news deeply disturbs the Romans, Coriolanus, advancing as a general of the Volscians, remain obdurate until he yields to the pleading of his mother, wife and son and prepares to make a treaty of peace.

Afidius who has been bitterly jealous, charges him before the Volscian Senate with betraying the cause and is stabbed to death. Later, Aufidius orders the body to be taken up...says 'He shall have a noble memory.'

Thus ends the chief character in this high volatile play, Caius Marcius Coriolanus, the disdainful egoist who with his aristrocatic temper with the world is driven from his city by mob law who later yields to his mother's pleas as he has always done.

This is the first time I am seeing Coriolanus live with a massive cast who are all professional actors from the Globe. No wonder why many drama directors shy sway from getting this colossal production on boards.

It needs a lot of handling with wars and counter-wars, dominant characters. I remember vaguely, reading somewhere that Sir Laurence Oliver acting Coriolanus, twice over.

But to me, this is a personal experience, sitting here in the open with a slight drizzle caressing everyone, some ready with their umberallas, the mighty Globe is alive to one of the Bard's epic plays.