Events

William Shakespeare’s masterful, rarely-performed play features love, power, politics, and ambition.

Abridged and directed by Milo Graamans
Presented by Red Octopus Theatre Company

Friday, Oct. 20 @ 7:00pm
Saturday, Oct. 21 @ 7:00pm

Friday, Oct. 27 @ 7:00pm
Saturday, Oct. 28 @ 7:00pm
Sunday, Oct. 29 @ 2:00pm

Thursday, Nov. 2* @ 7:00pm
Friday, Nov. 3 @ 7:00pm
Saturday, Nov. 4 @ 7:00pm
Sunday, Nov. 5 @ 2:00pm

One of Shakespeare’s finest scripts, though less often performed, Coriolanus is the story of an arrogant, ancient Roman celebrity soldier who has become a political candidate. When the citizens see his true colors and banish him from the city, Coriolanus joins forces with his former enemies – out of spite – to seek revenge on Rome.

Raising questions about the efficacy of outspoken leaders, the power of the common man, and the dangers of political polarization, the story of Coriolanus is as resonant today as it was when it was written (around 1607, approximately). While the original text could amount to nearly four hours of performance time, audiences need not worry. Graamans, who has a wealth of experience with The Bard’s work, has neatly abridged the script to a far more palatable length. He’s also trimmed away the on-stage violence to place the focus on the play’s political themes.

“This production presents Coriolanus as a political tragedy, rather than a tale of brutality and violence,” said Graamans. “Using the original (albeit abridged) text, the setting is modern, with the common Roman citizen indistinguishable from the audience.”