Antony and Cleopatra
True love, of, as the musical question might go?
”What’s love got to do with it?”
Oblique 80’s reference.
Antony and Cleopatra
In the functional and air-conditioned, free-standing bathrooms at UT’s Winedale campus, during the break in their Antony & Cleopatra, I was stepping out of the stall, zipping up and there was Antony. My eyes got wide. The actor is a little shorter than me, but not by much, a bit broader at the shoulder, and certainly far better than me at diction, speech, evocation, and recitation.
Yeah, there’s a soothsayer, but that’s more of palmist, by the stage direction and lines.
It was the inaugural performance of the series for this play, and the two roles — title roles — were hugely successful, as was the sidekick Enobarbus, and the woman who played Caesar. She was good, too. Haughty and scowling, like a good ruler.
University of Texas — Austin.
For me — I’m a straight, white, male — the actress playing Cleopatra stole the show. Didn’t steal it, I mean, she has titular role, but she brought sass and character to the role. It was a look I had not seen on her on the previous two plays where she was spear carrier and minor captain. Beauty, sexuality, sex appeal, all of that. Hitherto unrevealed cleavage.
Antony was pretty much doomed.
Random stats from memory, don’t hold this as accurate, but Antony has 25% of the lines, dies in Act IV, Cleopatra has 18% of the lines, and makes it to the last act.
She is a bit of a drama queen.
I would give the cast and crew a standing ovation. Brilliant performances and dozen of costume shifts for the supporting members. Cast of thousands covered by a dozen or so, and well-done.