Brilliant ideas seem so obvious when they are already acted upon by somebody else. This is the case with Edmond Rostand‘s “Cyrano De Bergerac” (1897) directed by Jamie Lloyd (“The Ruling Class”, 2015, Trafalgar Studios). The 19th century French play full of brilliant word fights and poetry was transformed by Martin Crimp (“When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other”, 2019, National Theatre) into a rap battle. “I love words. That’s all”, a phrase that appears slowly on the stage wall, seems to be the very essence of the passionate and tragic story unfolding in front of us. This is the fourth theatrical collaboration between Jamie Lloyd and the 40-year-old movie star James McAvoy (“Three Days of Rain“, 2009, “Macbeth“, 2013 and “The Ruling Class“, 2015).

©MARC BRENNER

Those who were cherishing the idea of seeing James McAvoy wearing Cyrano’s huge prosthetic nose were terribly disappointed. The play is modern in its every element: from text to clothes, from stage settings (close to none) to the body language. Jamie Lloyd’s Cyrano has a regular nose, but nevertheless his troubles and especially those related to his cousin and love interest Roxane (Anita-Joy Uwajeh) seem insuperable. It helps to see beyond Cyrano’s physical peculiarity, as it brings him closer to every person who suffers from an inner insecurity, – Jamie Lloyd said in his interview to The Guardian.

JAMES MCAVOY AS CYRANO DE BERGERAC ©MARK BRENNER

The aim of this new version of the play was to make the story as close to contemporary sensibility as possible: the text is adapted to the modern informal speech, the actors use their native accents and they are wearing jeans and hoodies instead of big hats and capes. Microphones become modern swords.

A transformation was also reserved for the magnificent poem by Emily Dickinson “Because I Couldn’t Stop for Death“, 1890. When Leila, one of the character is reading its adapted version in the second part of the play, the audience becomes as silent as during the already famous Cyrano’s love monologue. A pure thrill!

EBEN FIGUEIREDO AS CHRISTIAN AND ANITA-JOY UWAJEH AS ROXANE ©MARK BRENNER

“Cyrano de Bergerac” is at the Playhouse Theatre, London, until 29 February. When buying your tickets, be aware that on 27 January Philip Cairns will be performing instead of James McAvoy.