Edward II: Oriel College, Oxford (From The Oxford Times)

Edward II: Oriel College, Oxford

2:53pm Wednesday 21st April 2010 in Leisure By James Benefield

Gloucestershire’s Rococo Players give Christopher Marlowe’s play Edward II an ‘outing’ in this aptly-sited production. It was performed in a rather draughty hall in Oriel, the college Edward II helped to found in the 12th century.

The play is an overview of the titular medieval King of England’s reign. The first half focuses on his (Barry Page) relationship with loyal subject – and former exile – Piers Gaveston (Paul Pietersee). Marlowe portrays the pair as deeply in love, much to the chagrin of both the court and the Queen (Rachel Darcy). Later on, the play focuses on the power struggle between the young nobleman Mortimer (Daniel Johnson) and the monarch. Mortimer questions Edward’s balancing of the private and personal, and the monarch’s apathetic handling of war inherited from his recently deceased father. Mortimer also has his eye on the Queen. This new production features much wailing and gnashing of teeth. And, for a touring production, there is a surprisingly effective use of location. There is extensive use of every nook in the T-shaped space, and even of the hall’s dusty balcony. The effect of all this is a dynamic, if occasionally exhausting, experience. The production emphasises the fast-paced nature of the narrative. It was only when I emerged – three hours later – that I wished more character detail and historical context had been given to some of play’s many threads. But despite the writing’s shortcomings, and the performance’s occasional bluster, it proved a stirring night out.