Bell Shakespeare’s bold new take on Coriolanus throws the audience into the ring — literally. In this high-stakes political drama, each line lands like a jab or body blow. Set in a traverse stage that mirrors ancient Roman factions, the production pits the common people against the ruling elite in a battle for power, pride, and survival.
Hazem Shammas, who plays the title role, calls it ‘political MMA,’ and it’s easy to see why. From searing monologues to visceral power plays, Director Peter Evans transforms this rarely performed tragedy into an unrelenting theatrical experience.
Each scene acts as a punch, kick or grab between the common people, the plebians, and the aristocracy, the patricians. Centred around this wrestling for power, the Bard’s words are elevated to quick jabs or slow chokes. This contest of ideals leaves audiences with both political and personal provocations about the state of the world and how we live today.
Shakespeare’s Globe produced the play in 2006, The Royal Shakespeare in 2017, and now Bell Shakespeare brings it to audiences in Sydney and Melbourne. Coriolanus is about a great Roman warrior, an amazing fighter, who is also contemptuous of the common people. He earns a great victory for Rome and is promoted to be their leader. However, the common people deny his election, and the city falls apart.
The most exciting but unusual aspect of Coriolanus is that it is more like a comedy than a tragedy. Most of the tragedies concern one figure, whereas the comedies are about a community. Coriolanus is more like a comedy in that it is about a collection of characters. In a cast of twelve, nine to ten characters have fleshed out journeys and fulfilled dramatic arcs. And so, to have a tragedy act as an ensemble piece makes it a really energetic and busy theatre.
Director Peter Evans also designed the set for this show. This marriage of shaping not only what audiences see but also how they see it gives his direction a level of introspection.
The show is about performing and performance itself. The audience is split into two sides, the plebeians and the patricians. In this traverse setting, they watch both the actors in the middle and also how the other side is engaging and reacting to the events that unfold.
The centrepiece of the stage is another movable rectangular stage. It is a platform used by the elite or the poor to relate to their given side of the audience, while disparaging the other. Evans masterfully utilises the space to make the political play about how one presents. He leaves us questioning: What performance do we put on in order to get what we want?
After his turn as Macbeth in 2023, Hazem Shammas gives his all in his portrayal of a man whose downfall is about his inflated sense of self-worth and his inability to shut up about it. His articulation makes the words feel like they have been carved out of granite. He gives the very simple story a ton of muscularity, which makes it completely thrilling.
As Menenius, Peter Carroll continues to demonstrate why he is one of the best Shakespeare performers of all time. His humorous little pauses and child-like glee, contrasted with his distaste for the plebians, make him a standout.
Also worth noting are Anthony Taufa as Aufidius and Brigid Zengeni as Volumnia, who make the most of their scenes as their main character and also their ensemble moments.
Coriolanus is a play about power, and Shakespeare meets that theme with his most powerful writing. Audiences should buckle in and prepare for the thrilling ride of this formidable, rarely performed play.
Coriolanus runs until 19 July at The Nielson Nutshell, 13A Hickson Road Dawes Point NSW 2000.
It then runs from 24 July to 10 August at Arts Centre Melbourne.
Tickets: https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/coriolanus
Website: https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/bellshakespeare/
Photo credits: Brett Boardman
