If you're going to stage an outdoor production of William Shakespeare's bloody tragedy Coriolanus in New York, there might be a more appropriate spot than outside the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Riverside Park... but I'm not sure where that would be.
Fortunately, that's precisely where Hudson Classical Theatre Company does their shows, so it's pretty much an ideal spot to contemplate the exploits of Caius Martius, the noble Roman who after taking the Volscian town of Corioles earned the cognomen Coriolanus, only to then threaten destruction against Rome itself.
Benjamin Farmer plays the title character in this production which opened tonight under the direction of Nicholas Martin-Smith and Joseph Hamel. Bruce Barton plays Caius Martius's friend and mentor Menenius, though this production leaves out his famous speech to the rabble, using the body as a metaphor to forestall a riot. Shakespeare, by the way, pretty much lifted that speech from Plutarch.
In many productions, including the film starring Ralph Fiennes, the most memorable performance is given not by the actors playing the male leads, but by the woman playing Volumnia, the mother of Caius Martius who was really the one who saved Rome from destruction. Roxann Kraemer, an HCTC regular, plays Volumnia in this production, having been a superb Sir Oliver (changed to Lady Olivia) in the company's staging of The School for Scandal last year.
Other fine performances are delivered by Fever Hawk Browne as General Cominius, Joshua Gutierrez as the Volscian leader Aufidius, Cindy Xu as Caius Martius's wife Virgilia, and David Palmer Brown and Annette Fox as the two unethical tribunes who turn the mob against a victorious Coriolanus right after he's just been elected Consul. (In this modern dress production, I almost expected them to be holding signs saying Stop the Steal.)
The production runs through July 21st (no show on July 4th), so see it while you can. Performances start at 6:30pm Thursdays through Sundays.
