We round up the reviews for Seán Linnen’s production for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The Guardian: ***** “Gatiss proving his ability to transform in a way that renders him almost unrecognisable here: part Hitler (signature moustache and hair), part Scrooge and part ghoul. He gives Ui distinctive tics and a wavering accent that could be German, or American (mentioning no names).”
Stage Talk Magazine: ***** “This production revives one’s faith in the power of drama as a vehicle for political comment that is more than mere sniping at whoever happens to be holding the reins of government. It serves as a timely reminder, not only of the mechanics of demagoguery, but of all tyrants and despots – secular and religious.”
WhatsOnStage: **** “It may not have the punch or cleverness of Arthur Miller’s later allegorical play The Crucible, but Arturo Ui is a character to be feared, fought and rejected. Brecht argues his rise is resistible: only time will tell if his optimism is right in the second quarter of the 21st century.”
West End Best Friend: **** “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui remains as relevant as ever. Its central warning, that history is shaped as much by inaction as action, resonates strongly. By drawing humour from fear and placing audience complicity at the centre of the experience, the production encourages us to question our own position within these patterns of power. Moments in which the audience is invited to respond or speak up only heighten this effect, making the act of watching feel uncomfortably participatory. In this particular performance, nobody said a word.”
The Stage: **** “Mark Gatiss gives a grippingly grotesque performance in this stylish and absurd political parable.”
The Telegraph: **** “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui stands as a testament to how the levers of power can be seized – a little too late.”
Warwickshire World: “Seán Linnen directs it all with abundant flair, but Georgina Lowe deserves equal billing for her set and costumes. Inspired by German Expressionism and 1930s Chicago, her vision of “neon colours against the natural timber of The Swan, characters that live half in reality and half in a graphic novel” is fulfilled quite breathtakingly. The sheer theatricality is off the scale. ‘Brechtian’ is often used as a synonym for stark: this is anything but, yet it surely remains true to Brecht’s ideas, establishing his intended distance between audience and performance.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.rsc.org.uk/the-resistible-rise-of-arturo-ui/