| Wednesday I visited Hartford Connecticut
to see the great Kate Mulgrew perform as Cleopatra in ‘Antony and Cleopatra’.
My literary background is average, and I have read the play before, however
I had never seen it performed.
Shakespeare as we all know is a language
all its own and to fully understand it takes educating. But we “uneducated”
folks rely on the acting and props to set the tone for what it is we are
seeing and hearing.
First off the venue is incredible! I could
not believe how small it was. I was sitting on the stage with the Nile
River flowing underneath my chair. The theater’s size made for an intimate
evening and was partially responsible for my getting sucked into the performance.
Seeing the cast right in front of you there is no need to squint and no
binoculars are necessary for anyone in any seat. This made me feel as much
of a part of the production as possible.
All of the actors in this play were incredible.
I got lost in their performance on many occasions. After getting over the
initial shock that Kate Mulgrew was standing not but six feet in front
of me, I was captivated by the raw emotion being played out before me.
John Douglas Thompson and Kate were lustful, tastefully provocative, exciting
and portrayed heartfelt passion and angst.
For some reason, although I had read other
descriptive accounts, I was unprepared for the images in front of me. Cleopatra
“aroused” as she spoke about her lover in her very revealing gowns that
were also astonishing! My husband was very impressed with Kate’s *cough*
sorry Cleopatra’s attire for the evening as well (from a male perspective),
and the pictures do not do her justice. Her look that night was that of
a beautiful queen hardened by the demands of her kingdom, and softened
in the embrace of her lover. Other scenes that play out in my mind
are the drunken soldiers and Cleopatra giving the messenger such a whooping
I was actually fearful of her and feared for him. The music that was used
in this performance was minimal and very appropriate. The battle scenes
were short and to the point leaving time for the love story.
I will be seeing this play again and I
cannot wait.
If you love theater The Hartford Stage
is a wonderful place to see a show. It is intimate and the staff is pleasant.
If you love Kate Mulgrew you will not be
disappointed. Her performance is top notch and unforgettable. |
