Britannicus review: Superb translation successfully maintains tragedy, drama and humour
Racine's play about the conflict between Roman stepbrothers Nero and Britannicus was written in 1669. Timberlake Wertenbaker's superb translation brings it into the modern world with great success.Nero's conniving mother Agrippina (Sirine Saba) realises she is losing her political power as her son's star rises.
So she plays her lethally capricious son Nero (William Robinson, excellent) off against stepson Britannicus (Nathaniel Curtis from It's A Sin) and it's a power play that can only end in blood.
Related articles
On a simple set of chairs and a huge hanging depicting Romulus and Remus, the small cast battles it out for dominion in a production that has one foot in Senecan tragedy and the other in Dynasty.
Saba's power-dressed-to-kill Agrippina is terrific as she wields matriarchal authority like a lightsaber.
Although Racine's drama is essentially static, director Atri Bannerjee delivers a powerhouse production by introducing elements of physical theatre.
There are echoes of Pina Bausch in the way characters shake in fear and chairs are flung hither and thither.
A water cooler provides several visual gags and even a fall from a chair has a shocking significance.
The cast, including Shyvonne Ahmmad, Nigel Barrett and Helena Lymbery, maintain the balance between humour and tragedy with sublime assurance.
Hanna Khogali's violin playing is a bonus.
Britannicus, Lyric Hammersmith, London, until June 25. Tickets: 020 8741 6822
