Tag: coriolanus

iwouldvebeendrake01:

[Why did you decide to take on the role of Coriolanus?]
The director Josie Rourke brought it to me. In general, it’s a play that’s not often performed and I think that’s because it’s challenging – it’s political, heated and explosive. People also find it hard to identify with Coriolanus because he has a stubborn and arrogant character. Hamlet is easy to empathise with, Othello has a goodness in him and there is an innate tragedy to watching an old man go mad in King Lear. Coriolanus is seen as being unsympathetic and cold, but I actually saw so much vulnerability in him. He is an exceptional soldier, and when he returns from war he is strongly encouraged to enter politics and it’s a disaster waiting to happen. The role requires flexibility, compromise and the ability to tell white lies – and he can’t do that. He’s too proud and stubborn; his belief in honour conflicts with what is expected of him. That’s what creates drama in the play. You get what you see with Coriolanus, and even if one doesn’t agree with him, he does have integrity. I also felt there were political aspects to the story which feel very modern, like the power of the people and the fickleness of the mob. They change with the wind – at least Coriolanus is constant!