Cyrano de Bergerac: the latest must-see production at the RSC

When attending the Swan Theatre’s latest production, I knew nothing of the poet and soldier, Cyrano de Bergerac, and why his life was transformed by the RSC into a 2 hour 45 minute stage show. De Bergerac’s story was one of love, war and selfless friendship that inspired the queer adaption, Netflix’s The Half of It. However, Edmond Rostand’s play that has been brought into the modern theatre by Simon Evans and Debris Stevenson surpassed my expectations and is one of the best productions I have seen at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

It exemplified how a smaller theatre like The Swan created an entertaining and welcoming atmosphere where the audience could fully enjoy and laugh along with the play

This might seem like a bold statement, but it is supported by the full standing ovation from the rest of the adoring audience, an ovation that is unlike one I have seen at any RSC Production. Not knowing about the life of de Bergerac made following the story and its twists and turns even more emotive as I was transported to 1640 Paris, a time of war and theatre that formed the two main settings of the play. From the outset, the importance of poetry and humour that runs throughout the play is present in the opening scene. We were laughing, applauding and forced to rise for the entrance of righteous Comte de Guiche.

The audience were part of the production, acting as audience members in 1640 Paris, as well as being kept company by the actors roaming around the stalls. It exemplified how a smaller theatre like The Swan created an entertaining and welcoming atmosphere where the audience could fully enjoy and laugh along with the play. The Swan’s iconic thrust stage became a theatre, battlefield, meeting place, and garden, where de Bergerac, his big nose (the butt of many jokes) and the other characters welcomed us into their story and entertain us.

Simon Evan’s directorial focus on the poetry of de Bergerac, with the use of the band and Adrian Lester’s elegant delivery of the lines, brings to the frontmost the role of poetry within the theatre

Adrian Lester’s role as de Bergerac was moving, commanding and poetic, a clear summary of the real de Bergerac’s life, well encapsulated some three hundred years later. Lester’s RSC debut is magnificent, with the haunting young de Bergerac following him and us through the entire production. However, Levi Brown’s brummie Christian de Neuvillette and Susannah Fielding’s Roxanne emerged my favourite characters and excel at bringing romance and humour to this production. The Birmingham accent, which Lester then mimicked nods at the location the audience are watching the performance. The presence of the musicians around the edge of the stage and one the stage (as part of the bet de Cyrano lost) help elevate the performance further. A larger band is seen above the stage, and all contributes, along with Grace Smart’s set and costume designs, transport us all to Paris and away from our day-to-day troubles.

Despite its seeming isolation from Shakespeare, references to the Bard’s work within the Parisian theatre help remind the audience of Shakespeare’s presence within Stratford-Upon-Avon. Simon Evan’s directorial focus on the poetry of de Bergerac, with the use of the band and Adrian Lester’s elegant delivery of the lines, brings to the frontmost the role of poetry within the theatre.

In a recent seminar, I was asked to prepare thoughts of what I thought theatre should be. This was in the back of my mind whilst I was watching this production – why was I watching a play about the power of de Bergerac’s poetry when I had never heard of him before? For this production, theatre should make you think about the consequences of war, fall in love with someone regardless of appearance and laugh. The purpose of theatre might be to encapsulate and share the human experience through poetry, or to travel the world with a group of strangers in the theatre. We will all have a different understanding and intention for the purpose of theatre, but we are united in the shared experience and reaction to the characters on the stage.

Cyrano de Bergerac is playing at The Swan Theatre until 15^th November and I would highly recommend to anyone looking to be entertained, moved and to fall in love

This show entertained and moved both me and the rest of the audience in all sorts of ways throughout. It is a definite must-see for any theatre goers. I rarely get so immersed in the characters and plot of a piece of theatre as I did in this production, showing how well The RSC do at putting on plays other than by William Shakespeare. Cyrano de Bergerac is playing at The Swan Theatre until 15^th November and I would highly recommend to anyone looking to be entertained, moved and to fall in love.