Coriolanus

Synopsis
A video recording, using a single, fixed camera, of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 1989 production of Coriolanus. Directed by John Barton and Terry Hands with Charles Dance as Coriolanus and Barbara Jefford as Volumnia.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Video
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Recording date
12 Jan 1989
Duration
180 mins

Credits

Director
John Barton; Terry Hands
Writer
William Shakespeare
Music
Terry Davies
Production Design
Christopher Morley
Cast
Charles DanceCaius Martius Coriolanus
Barbara JeffordVolumnia
Malcolm StorryTullus Aufidius
Joseph O’ConorMenenius Agrippa
Frank MooreyCominius
Ade SaparaSentinel (Watchman)
Amanda HarrisVirgilia
Aneurin AudasYoung Martius
Geoffrey FreshwaterSicinius Velutus
Jane MaudValeria
Joe MeliaJunius Brutus
John DrakeVolscian Senator 2 (Senator (Volscian))
Lewis JonesVolscian Senator 1 (Senator (Volscian))
Nicholas BesleyYoung Martius
Peter BirrelRoman Senator 2 (Senator (Rome))
Randal HerleyRoman Senator 1 (Senator (Rome))
Richard MayesTitus Lartius

Additional Details

Theatre
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Theatre company
Royal Shakespeare Company
Production type
Stage Recordings
Plays
Coriolanus
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Related items
Shakespeare at the RSC: Coriolanus

Notes

Notes
Poor sound quality. Another master was recorded 2 May 1990.
General
The casting of Charles Dance in the title role, on a short contract, began a critical debate on the wisdom of ‘star casting’ into the Company at the expense of ensemble work.

"Christopher Morley’s set consists of three mobile seige towers with the Romans, in costume terms, veering to black leather, the Volscians to scarlet greatcoats." Michael Billington, The Guardian ( 7 December 1989).

Citizens and servants were played by Michael Tudor Barnes, Gabriell Blunt, Sarah Booth, Richard Earthy, Rob Edwards, Lucy Ellis, Jason Flemyng, Jane Gwilliams, Adrian Hilton, Michael Hughes, Daniel James, David Joyce, Leonard Maguire, Harry Miller, Niall Refoy, John Rolfe, Alison Ruffelle, Ade Sapara, Andrew Taney and Steven Waddington.
History
Press night 5 December 1989
Stills
Stills from, and design notes on, the production are available on the Arts and Humanities Performing Arts Data Service (AHDS) at http://ahds.ac.uk/performingarts/collections/designing-shakespeare.htm
Reviews
Holland, Peter. Shakespeare Survey 44 (1992), pp 57-90 (esp. 163-66).

Production Company

Name

Royal Shakespeare Company

Web
https://www.rsc.org.uk External site opens in new window
Address
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Waterside
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
CV37 6BB

Archive

Name

Shakespeare Birthplace Collections

Email
collections@shakespeare.org.uk
Web
https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/collections/ External site opens in new window
Address
Shakespeare Centre
Henley Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 6QW

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "Coriolanus". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av38138 (Accessed 10 Oct 2024)