 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 28 Jan. - 3 Feb. 1999 Issue No. 414 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
 |
 |
|
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 28 Jan. - 3 Feb. 1999 Issue No. 414
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
|
|
|
Egypt Region International Focus Economy Opinion Culture Features Living Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Plain talk
By Mursi Saad El-Din
I do not know what is happening to the classical theatre. During my recent visit to Paris I watched a television programme in which one of the stars of the Comédie Française spoke about what he called the "deep malaise" in theatre.
The Comédie Française is a shrine to worthy traditional productions of classical French drama, and I remember in my youth watching many of their performances here in Cairo. Those were the days, as the song says, and they were marvelous. Haunted by those memories I was really upset about what Philippe Torreton had to say in an attack against the 300-year old company.
Torreton's accusations centred around favouritism having replaced any artistic policy, something reflected in poor box office returns. Jean-Luc Bide, one of the company's leading actors, resigned and denounced the troupe as operating conspiratorially. "The Comédie Française," he said, "is the Vatican. Just as in Rome, the company here has its pope who has total control and surrounds himself with cardinals, archbishops and Swiss guards."
Such is the condition of this world famous theatre. But it is not alone. Another renowned theatre which is going through problems is the Royal Shakespeare Company.
In a scathing article in the culture supplement of the Sunday Times, John Peter announced that "the RSC, the nation's flagship theatre company, has lost the plot. It no longer fosters great acting or great directing." The writer criticises the direction of, for instance, Troilus and Cressida, as "dismally undercast."
"The direction," he continued, "lacks clarity, style and class... The standard of speaking was deplorable." He then asks "where are the great productions... the leading actors?"
This once great company, he claims, is cracking apart. The reason behind this situation, just like that behind the failure of the Comédie Française, is "fatal flaws of leadership."
Another problem is finding new, young actors. In this search the theatre has to compete with film and television. Actors shun the idea of joining the RSC. In the past working for this company was something actors aspired to. It was a mark of great promise or high achievement. It was a place where young actors learnt classical techniques of speech and movement under directors who were experts in both.
John Peter believes that the company has abdicated its responsibility for nurturing young actors. "Some are straight or not long out of drama schools, have no interest in classical work and make no secret of the fact that they can't wait to get out of Stratford and into television."
The writer also decries the way in which the RSC repeatedly fails to invite past members of the company to take part in new productions, though it displays their names prominently on promotional materials. "This is like," says the writer "posh hotels displaying their guests' book with signatures of royalty and racing drivers who once stayed there."
What is even worse is the attitude of young actors towards the company. They think that the time when the company taught and nurtured its young, "fostered their ambitions and expanded their range seems to have passed." This is a sad state. After all, the charter of the company stipulates that one of its jobs is to nourish the Shakespearean tradition, which should include the artistic standards of new generations.
The problem of the RSC, shared by many national and classical theatres, is that they are not only the guardians of great classical traditions but they must also be living modern theatres that do not stagnate. While sticking to classical texts, Shakespeare, Molière, Chekov and others, there should be innovations in production techniques. Peter Brook, with his innovative production of Romeo and Juliet and other plays, showed the way. In short, what is really needed, is a director who can be both traditionalist and innovative.
