• Reviews
  • Awards
  • Credits
  • Reviews

    The Chichester Festival has begun its 30th anniversary season with a thoroughly enjoyable Renaissance Theatre production of Coriolanus.

    Financial Times, Malcolm Rutherford

    Kenneth Branagh is as formidable a Coriolanus as we have seen for some time. With his hair slicked back and nothing but a silver breastplate over his torso, he has a sweaty, thuggish look. Any Tom Brown would think hard before jumping into the ring to try his luck with this primeval Flashman. Yet the really alarming part of the Branagh anatomy, one more cutting even than his sword, is his tongue: I haven’t heard anybody, either actor or aspiring politician, sneer so stylishly in ages: There are no tendentious interpretations, no fancy “directorial concepts” here; just Branagh’s electricity, Dench’s truculent punch, Richard Briers’s Menenius, a complacent housemaster out of his depth with a prefect as headstrong as Coriolanus.

    The Times, Benedict Nightingale

    Iain Glen exudes toughness confidence and menace and looks ripe for brutality. He is devious to his fingertips. When he sweeps Corialanus up in a homo-erotic embrace it could be to crush the life out of him.

    Evening Standard, Nicholas De Jongh

    Volumnia herself is played by Judi Dench: a fine stern portrait:but there are lots of other good things, from Richard Briers’s Menenius À half fogey, half old fox À to Susannah Harker’s touching performance as Coriolanus’s wife. Iain Glen makes Aufidius an opponent fully worthy of his great rival.

    Sunday Telegraph

  • Awards

    Regional Theatre Awards:

    • Nomination for Best Actor, Iain Glen
  • Credits

    Kenneth Branagh
    Caius Martius
    Richard Briers
    Menenius Agrippa
    Judi Dench
    Volumnia
    Iain Glen
    Tullus Aufidius
    James Simmons
    Titus Lartius
    David Gant
    Cominius
    Susannah Harker
    Virgilia
    Helga Brindle
    Valeria
    Alex Scott & Jamie Harvell
    Young Martius
    Jimmy Yuill
    Sicinius Velutus
    Gerard Horan
    Junius Brutus
    David Cardy
    Roman Citizen
    Conrad Nelson
    Roman Soldier
    Chris Barnes
    Roman Citizen
    Michael G. Jones
    Senator
    Rory Murray
    Messenger
    Theresa Fresson
    Lady-in-Waiting
    Tim Killick
    Aedile
    Andy Hockley
    Volscian Soldier
    Gary Mavers
    Volscian Soldier
    Tim Supple
    Director
    Bunnie Christie
    Designer
    Ben Ormerod
    Lighting Design
    Photography
    Richard H Smith

Photos