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Suchet Channels Shakespeare in "Murder in the Cathedral"
20 Oct
Summary
- TS Eliot's "Murder in the Cathedral" reimagined in London's St John the Divine.
- David Suchet delivers a masterful performance as Archbishop Thomas Becket.
- The play explores the balance between conviction and fanaticism.
TS Eliot's seminal 1935 verse drama, "Murder in the Cathedral," has found a new and atmospheric home at St John the Divine in London. This site-specific production places the audience within the sacred space, mirroring its original 1935 performance at Canterbury Cathedral, the site of Archbishop Thomas Becket's assassination.
David Suchet commands the role of Becket, delivering a performance marked by meticulous precision and Shakespearean relish. The staging, designed by Rob Jones with lighting by Peter Mumford, utilizes dozens of candles and the church's architecture to cast dramatic shadows, enhancing the play's thematic depth.
While the production skillfully navigates Eliot's challenging text, including its distinctive chorus and postmodern coda, some musical adaptations by composer Orlando Gough are noted to occasionally muffle the poetry. The play continues to resonate with its exploration of the fine line between conviction and fanaticism.
Originally conceived during a period of political tension, Eliot's work, deeply influenced by his conversion to Anglo-Catholicism, grappled with the nature of martyrdom and resistance. The current staging effectively amplifies these enduring questions for contemporary audiences.
