We rounded up the reviews for this production of Rajiv Joseph’s play, running at the theatre until the 25th July.
The Guardian: “Don’t risk this version of history in an exam hall. But theatrically Joseph’s thesis graduates with high honours.”
The Stage: “Sharp staging of an absurdist exploration of radicalisation.”
All That Dazzles: “Archduke is a rather strange show, but it is certainly never boring. I can see the vision, and some elements do work remarkably well, but others fall oddly flat. Its biggest problem, however, is how utterly chaotic it is. I’m quite partial to a bit of chaos in theatre, but it needs to be organised chaos, and the organisation was nowhere to be found here, unfortunately.”
The Arts Desk: “American playwright Rajiv Joseph’s account of Serbian political assassins really rocks.”
The Reviews Hub: “Janice Connolly makes the most of cook Sladjana, whose cherries in brandy contain a surprise, but can’t do anything about the role being the worst kind of stereotype. Chris Walley, Abraham Popoola, and Stanley Morgan are lumbered with the least interesting dialogue. Nothing is made of the fact that they are students, and they come across as a collection of international everyman figures: one is Black, one is Irish, and none of them seems very Balkan – the point being made that their fates happen to many young people all over the world and throughout history. They make for a good ensemble and touchingly convey how young, vulnerable and exploitable they all are – it’s just a shame that they didn’t have better material.”
Partially Obstructed View: “It’s pretty consistently funny though, and a final scene in which the men imagine what might happen to them when they reach Sarajevo – a catalogue of disaster and coincidence that’s all based on what actually did happen – is a reminder that this comedy retelling isn’t entirely fanciful, and huge world events can result from farcical circumstances.”
Everything Theatre: “The political undertones of this play are poignant, and more relevant than ever as the rise of ‘red-pilled’ youth has seen the specific targeting of isolated young men. Archduke gracefully gestures to this sad state of modern internet culture, whilst remaining grounded in the playful historical pastiche of a shoddily executed assassination that would sink Europe into chaos.”
Theatre & Tonic: “Overall Archduke made me laugh, the performances were solid, and visually there were some moments of real spectacle. However, Archduke tries to pack too much into underdeveloped characters with a lack of direction as to what the main story really wants to say.”
British Theatre Guide: “Rajiv Joseph’s light romp into the surface noise of a Trumpian collection of men dumped into a comic version of a 1914 conspiracy to assassinate the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary gives us poor jokes, improbable characters, an unconvincing plot and some costume history.”
First Night Magazine: “It deserves a chance, nonetheless. But that should be given with the expectation of a deeply unpolished work, whose possibilities are clouded by a heavy-handed approach, although the quality of its germinal idea permeates to some extent. Despite some mundane segments, Archduke has a pulse, but it’s by no means strong enough to call this piece a coup.”
WhatsOnStage: “But amidst the mayhem, it’s sometimes difficult to discern what the overall point is. Perhaps that is the point. People do bad things for multiple reasons: for money, for politics, because they hate women, because they long for fame. Their actions have repercussions that they may not have dreamt of. And history doesn’t always remember their names.”
North West End: “Ultimately, ‘Archduke’ is an ambitious production with undeniable technical strengths, but its uneven performances, underdeveloped characters and confused tonal shifts prevent it from delivering either satisfying satire or compelling historical drama. Despite the significance of its subject matter, it leaves surprisingly little lasting impression, proving that even the most fascinating chapters of history require a clear dramatic vision to make them truly compelling on stage.”
To book tickets visit: https://royalcourttheatre.com/events/archduke/