Coriolanus

See it if you like to see Shakespeare set in present day political climate but keeping old style language. Great acting makes it easy to understand.

Don't see it if you don't like Shakespeare. Even though this is set in modern day America it still sounds like old school Shakespeare.

See it if you want to see a lean, accessible, powerful, adroitly acted production of a rarely seen tragedy; to witness WS's universality & relevance.

Don't see it if you haven't enjoyed Red Bull Theater's take on classics in the past. Perhaps this isn't for Shakespeare purists & traditionalists.

See it if Ferocious, steamrolling, streamlined adaptation of Shakespearean power play. Acute direction and hypnotic lead performance engrossing

Don't see it if A little battle fatigue as well as overwrought Trumpian metaphors can slow proceedings

See it if You want a Shakespearean drama that is relevant to our elections. You want great acting & staging. You want a thought provoking drama.

Don't see it if You don't want to see a political drama. You don't like verse plays. You want contemporary dialogue.

See it if You've never seen this Shakespeare before -- it's an exciting, fast-paced version that's relevant to our time.

Don't see it if You're not in the mood for Shakespeare, war, politics, or blood.

See it if You are a Shakespeare fan -Patrick Page, Lisa Harrow, Steve Spinnella a rare cast -in a modern version of a story about power, hubris,family

Don't see it if You expect elaborate sets, traditional costumes, comfortable seating for hours. Cannot keep up with the bard's language.

Also This production at the Barrow Theater feels like a full scale production even though it is in a small theater.
The set design, fight scenes, and use of props are brilliant. The actors are all excellent in their roles, especially with the presence of the master of convincing conversation, Patrick Page. Is he villain or friend??... Read more Read less

See it if You like contemporary staging of WS, want a challenging and intense theater experience, can appreciate stagecraft with minimal sets/props.

Don't see it if You hate WS, don't enjoy plays with topical relevance, don't want to think, want elaborate production, don't like politics or strong POV.

See it if You like Shakespeare well told and well acted! With great staging to keep you engaged and interested with a relevant story.

Don't see it if You don't like long Shakespeare. It is a long winded play kept fresh by the actors, but it is still long winded.

See it if you like raw, real Shakespeare adaptations with great acting and relevant themes. One of the most engaging renderings of the Bard I've seen.

Don't see it if blood, war, yelling and having the actors all around you bothers you, or you like your Shakespeare more formally performed.

See it if you want clearly spoken & understood Shakespeare delivered by superior company with grim takeaway of the state of the human beast & politics

Don't see it if you can't rise 2 challenge of listening 2 well spoken heightened language with depressing takeaway 'you can't please anyone any of the time'

See it if To hear Patrick Page's voice, hear Lisa Harrow's fluid Shakespeare. Committed performance by lead. Surprising humor in unexpected places.

Don't see it if You dont like violence. You dont like updated Shakespeare. You need scenery and want even a few frills.

See it if you are open to a political play in Shakespearean language but with a contemporary take; modern day relevance shows what a genius WS was

Don't see it if you want traditional sets and costumes; don't want a high energy performance where the actors come from all sides or bloody & loud fight

See it if You like Shakespeare. Superb acting. Patrick Page terrific. Bare stage but great effects. Very political. Moves quickly. Never boring.

Don't see it if You don't like modern dress for Shakespeare. If you don't like minimal staging. If you don't like Shskespeare.

See it if seeking a modernized version of William Shakespeare's seldom-produced tragedy or a play reminding you of the current political climate.

Don't see it if unfamiliar with the Coriolanus story, and/or have difficulty with Shakespearean verse: this play may be confusing. Bard purists may cringe.

See it if You've always been curious about this play but have never seen it--it will never be served up better.

Don't see it if Modern dress for Shakespeare annoys you, if you don't care about seeing minor Shakespeare at all, or, if you are sick of anything political.

Also This was an intelligent, relevant, and passionate presentation of a play most of us have never seen. One enters into what is made to be a polling station, establishing the high political stakes which follow, akin to those in which we live right now. The entrance of the actors is thrilling, and the fight scenes extraordinary. Every member of the cast was giving 100%. Modern dress can often be gimmicky, but here it is done superbly. "Let it be virtuous to be obstinate" was a memorable line at the end, one I had never heard before. Most surprising was the role of the mother, perhaps the strongest in the canon. She was a tribute to the power of feminine force, and was superlatively played.

This is a highly palatable version of a lesser play, so go get your bragging rights and see it!... Read more Read less

See it if See it for the first great scene after the intermission or for the chance to see any Coriolanus.

Don't see it if But despite pruning, it is long and loud, and somehow without an authentic sense of life. I could not suspend disbelief.

See it if you think you don't like Shakespeare — exciting, current, ripped-from-the-headlines, superbly acted and extremely relevant for our time now.

Don't see it if you dislike political theatre of any era; violence; classics in modern dress or hearing extraordinary language clearly spoken and expressed.

Also Set in a 493BC Rome that remarkably evokes a here & now America, Michael Sexton's crisp direction moves the action fast & furiously around & in the audience, seated on three sides of a glaring white auditorium.

Then as now, a turbulent election elicits strong reactions from the ragged People, looking much like Occupy Wallstreet, even with the mask of the Anonymous hacker pacing in the background.

As the prideful and doomed Coriolanus, Dion Johnstone is commanding, virile, vulnerable & utterly human, each word pitched just so. Lisa Harrow is stunning as his mother Volumnia, her strength & presence formidable assets. Patrick Page plays his mentor Menenius with a gorgeous warm baritone that fills the room & belays his unctuousness. Stephen Spinella, Merritt Johnson, Rebecca S'Manga Frank, Edward O'Blenis and in fact the entire Ensemble give terrific performances for which there's no room here.

See this great & most timely production of a rarely staged Shakespeare, best before Nov 8th.... Read more Read less

See it if you'll like a fairly well acted modern adaptation of rarely performed Shakespeare; don't mind that the adaptation is a bit "campy."

Don't see it if you like your Shakespeare 'pure"/fully costumed, dislike over the top efforts to modernize it, some truncation of the script.

See it if want an intimate, visceral and energetic production of a seldom seen Shakespeare play; cast is excellent; show moves very quickly.

Don't see it if don't like modern dress productions of Shakespeare

See it if you want to see a brilliant correlation of corrupt politicians, agitated crowds, etc. - as told by Shakespeare yet eerily contemporary.

Don't see it if if you are looking for a traditional Shakespeare play and costumes without a modern spin.

Also A great play with great acting. Using contemporary clothing worked well as the events we witnessed (as told by Shakespeare) ring true today - disputed elections, turbulent society, crowds out of control, pitfalls of power, strength of family ties, etc.

The staging was simple but clever - using fog, noises, some surprise entries, and a bit of humor while changing the scenes.

I found my mind wondering a couple of times as it is hard to stick with some of the rhetoric that could be shortened - but I was so interested in the play that I tried harder not to let my mind wander again. Perhaps the show might be improved if some dialogues were tightened or shortened just a bit.... Read more Read less

See it if You love Shakespeare or even if you don't - just a great play. Every actor strong. Engaging direction. Coriolanus and Volumnia riveting.

Don't see it if You dislike longer shows (2+ hours). But there's not a note wrong in this production. Great "starter Shakespeare" for newbies.

See it if You like Willian Shakespeare.

Don't see it if If your not a Shakespeare fan or can't follow the dialogue.

See it if for a modern staging of a lesser Shakespeare. strong, visceral acting and creative staging in this small, intimate space.

Don't see it if you're averse to violence onstage - there's plenty of it - or lack the patience for lengthy monologues. [Or cant stand modern-dress.]

See it if You have never seen Coriolanus, want to see Lisa Harrow and Patrick Page in great performances, can tolerate the excesses of the production.

Don't see it if If you like your Shakespeare straight forward without gimmicks, and would prefer a great ensemble to inconsistent acting. Overly "muscular"

See it if you enjoy seeing Shakespeare staged with contermporary flair

Don't see it if you prefer traditional historical staging