Barrie Rutter directs this new re-imagination of John Dryden’s Restoration drama, filled with passion and politics. Here’s what critics have had to say about it…
The Guardian: *** “But glad as I am to have caught this rare old piece, I longed to see the actors returning to their shop-floor jobs having escaped into the luxuriant role of Mughal potentates.”
WhatsOnStage: *** “The production’s Indian tang is a plus, not just in the casting but in the contributions of three musicians who render Niraj Chag’s insidiously beautiful incidental music as dramatic underscoring.”
The Independent: *** ” There’s a puzzling lack of interaction here between the lives of the millworkers and characters they assume in the drama. This feels like a missed trick.”
The FT: ** “Sadly, despite much hard work and the evocative input of three onstage musicians, this remains a fairly unyielding piece.”
The Stage: *** “The production feels bolder in conception than in execution but in its ambition, and diversity of cast and voice, it makes a potent swansong for Rutter.”
The Times: ** “In this overblown and verbose Restoration tragedy the acting ranges from flat to gleefully excessive and the tone is muddled.”
Exeunt Magazine: “Never quite capitalising on its strong ideas and compelling material, the production feels unfinished for all its strengths, a fitting but low-key swansong.”
Broadway World: ** “It’s an inauspicious end to Rutter’s 26-year tenure, and a disappointing dip in what has so far been a top quality winter season at Shakespeare’s Globe.”
The Telegraph: *** “boldly conceived production”
The Upcoming: *** “The Captive Queen’s tale of pride, lust, despair and betrayal told in rhyming couplets might not be for everyone. But if high drama, excellent music, a diverse cast and an exotic twist sounds like your cup of tea, then this is a theatrical event that ought to be experienced.”
Time Out: *** “this is a valuable opportunity to see an intriguing text, full of unexpected, undampened humour.”
British Theatre Guide: “I longed for them to speak to the meaning and not the metre of the poetry, but this production marches its voices to the sound of the rhyme.”
Theatre Bubble: **** ” overall, the production is nothing less than triumphant. Expertly balancing the meta-theatricality of the setting and the play, Rutter and his company have succeeded in a creation that is nothing but heart.”
The Captive Queen continues to play at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse until the 4th March. For more information and to book tickets visit: http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on-2018/the-captive-queen