‘Antony & Cleopatra’ As You’ve Never Experienced It Before

Sydney-based theatre troupe Come You Spirits have made a name for themselves by performing Shakespeare in unique venues, such as the Coal Loader in Waverton. With their new production Antony & Cleopatra, the troupe have moved into a more traditional performance space at The Concourse in Chatswood – but fret not, it’s still a version of the play as only they could create it. 

Unlike other versions of the iconic play, this version of Antony & Cleopatra doesn’t begin with the drawing of a curtain – instead, it begins in the foyer of The Concourse Lounge, as actors emerge to perform the play amidst the audience. It’s an interesting, unexpected way to begin a production of Shakespeare before you move into a more theatrical setting.

Indeed, this is a deeply unconventional performance of Shakespeare’s legendary play. Come You Spirits have made the smart decision to focus Antony & Cleopatra down to its core relationship, giving it a more personal feeling than many other productions. 

In fact, this version of the play only has three actors: Charles Mayer as the Roman general Mark Antony, Jo Bloom as the pharaoh Cleopatra, and Charley Allanah as a priest of Isis and Cleopatra’s maid of honour. By whittling down the usually huge character list of the play, this staging gets to the centre of the tragic lovers’ relationship by giving it complete and utter focus. 

This is thanks to superb performances by the three actors, who work well both individually and together. Allanah plays a great supporting role, offering some levity to the production’s heavier moments, while Bloom and Mayer are obvious pros at performing Shakespeare.

However, creating an abridged version of a play known for its length does come with some issues. There are only four “scenes” (though these often compress other parts of the play together), and so it’s understandable that the production utilises a guide for the story in Nathan ‘Bear’ Meola, another member of Come You Spirits.

Though I appreciated the connective tissue to better understand the story, I did feel the mix of having to physically travel between locations and have someone not in the play providing some explanation for the story was a bit immersion-breaking. Meola was a very engaging and affable presence, but it did often draw attention to the artifice of the production – a disconnect I felt especially when the performances were so engaging to me.

That being said though, I quite enjoyed Come You Spirits’ take on Antony & Cleopatra. I’m never upset to see a new take on Shakespeare, and I can certainly guarantee that you’ve never seen an interpretation of the tragedy of these two historical figures rendered like this.

Antony & Cleopatra is playing at The Concourse Lounge, Chatswood until February 22nd.