On Wednesday night, Collingham English Literature A level students watched the RSC production of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus streamed live from Stratford-upon-Avon.
The students are studying the play for A level. This was a powerful production that made clear both the arrogance of the patrician class and the dangers of following the will of the people. Coriolanus’ cry as he leaves ungrateful Roman behind him: “There is a world elsewhere”, had some fascinating post-Brexit overtones that the students will no doubt be keen to examine further. Haydn Gwynne’s Volumnia was particularly powerful, creating some disturbing Oedipal undercurrents and embracing the sheer force and ferocity of the Tiger Mother. Sope Dirisu captured well the nobility of a man whose courage and integrity is never in doubt and James Corrigan’s clearly homo-erotically charged adoration of Coriolanus raised some interesting questions about war, masculinity and sexuality. All in all, the production gave us much to explore in our English classes in the coming term.
