University of Manitoba
Red Bull Theater’s Sardanapalus & Global Watch Party Review
By Sean Hetherington
The Fall of a Humane King in The Red Bull Theater’s Sardanapalus
Red Bull Theater’s production of Lord Byron’s 1821 tragic play Sardanapalus is directed by Raz Golden and stars Amir Arison as the main character. One of Byron’s closet dramas, Sardanapalus is a historical retelling of the demise of the last king of the Assyrian monarchy. The play centers around the titular tragically flawed Sardanapalus, who ultimately is doomed by his inability to be a ruthless king. Red Bull Theater has made an interesting choice in staging Sardanapalus. Viewers familiar with Byron’s more brooding protagonists like Manfred may be pleasantly surprised by the much lighter and humorous character of Sardanapalus. Although Sardanapalus is unmistakably a tragedy, I found myself laughing quite a bit throughout this production. This is not to say that the play becomes a farce; instead, the humour in the play is appropriate and does not undermine its emotional weight. Red Bull Theater’s decision to present Byron’s play as a closet piece – a staged reading, rather than a full performance – shows their commitment to the intentions of the source material, which I believe creates a more authentic experience, even over simulcast. Some audience members may prefer a more traditional performance, but, ultimately, I believe the production made the right choice in choosing to stay loyal to the source material.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this production is the emphasis on humour. The decision to lean into this interpretation of the material helps to humanize Sardanapalus for modern audiences. For this reason, much of the play’s success lays on Arison’s performance as Sardanapalus. Arison’s enthusiasm for his role is infectious, but, more importantly, despite Sardanapalus’s faults, Arison succeeds at making the king sympathetic. Additionally, I particularly enjoyed Arison’s humorous interactions with the much more caustic character of Salemenes, played by Sanjit De Silva, whose performance stands out as one of the most enjoyable in the whole production. Shayvawn Webster’s performance as Myrrha is appropriately more serious in comparison, but the production does give her some moments of levity. Much of the play’s emotional weight relies upon Webster’s role, and she rises to the occasion. Overall, this cast is excellent, and it is worth mentioning that Merrit Janson and Amir Malaklou are enjoyable as the play’s villains.
One of the most interesting aspects of this production is the choice to present Sardanapalus as a closet piece. Sardanapalus is not Byron’s only attempt within the closet play genre. Both Byron’s Manfred and Cain are works within the genre. This attempt by Red Bull Theater to adhere to Byron’s intentions creates a more authentic and loyal interpretation of the play. By preforming the play in this way, the audience is given the opportunity to experience the play as if they were sitting with a small group, privately enjoying Byron’s work. Paradoxically, by having the actors perform in modern clothes, the audience remains grounded as a spectator in the modern world. Costumes and props were kept to a minimum, which helped to make the production feel more authentic. One advantage of this type of production is that viewers can focus upon the performances, but more importantly the language of the play is therefore highlighted, as well. Byron, of course, is a poet first and foremost. Theoretically, people may prefer a more traditional play staging for the sheer spectacle such a performance can provide, but I believe that the production’s positives outweigh any theoretical advantages that a more traditional performance could potentially have.
Overall, I was happy that Red Bull Theater’s production went with a closet-piece style. The actors were able to do justice to Byron’s material and the decision to appropriately lean into the comedy is surprising, but a welcomed choice. Additionally, the humanization of Sardanapalus enhances our empathy for his inevitable fall. The production’s cast and crew have done a wonderful job.
