EIF: Life is a Dream
Lyceum Theatre - 23/08/2023
‘Life is a Dream’ by Pedro Calderon de la Barca, directed by Declan Donnellan
Written by Calderon de la Barca in 1635, the play is a masterpiece of Spain’s literary Golden Age. It’s not well-known here, so I’ll outline the main plot. Segismundo, rightful heir to the Polish throne, lies in a dungeon beneath the royal palace. Conditions are rough, he’s in rags and chains, though he’s had the benefit of a full education. Why? Because at his birth his father King Basilio, a dab hand at astrology, read in the stars there was a curse upon him. But now with his son an adult, Basilio is inclined after all to hand over the throne and retire to his studies. In a scientific spirit he sets up an experiment: Segismundo can be king for a day; if he acquits himself well, he can keep the job; if not, he’ll be thrown back in the dungeon and told it was all just a dream. Segismundo acquits himself extremely badly, throwing an offending courtier off a high balcony and attempting to seduce a noblewoman. So it’s back to the dungeon with him. Unfortunately for King Basilio, a revolt has broken out. Rebel soldiers break into the palace and release Segismundo. The ensuing battle goes to the rebels who set him up as king. Segismundo, now in command, has learned on the way that, even if it is all a dream, it’s best to follow the path of virtue and justice. So in the last scene, he forgives his father, sorts out various conflicts and complications around the court, and is well on the way to being a Good King.
Despite the trappings of a Renaissance court, much talk of honour and frequent references to sundry classical gods, the theme is very current. Is this the only universe? Do we access alternative realities in dreams? Can we trust our senses? (In fact, in this century two operas based on the play have been written and performed.) Declan Donnellan directs a heartily modern production, full of spectacle and surprise, frequently cracking through the “fourth wall”. Every member of the cast gives us a clear committed performance.
A few niggles: there’s no printed programme, and even the online version gives no breakdown of casting, so I’m unable to comment on any actors by name. There’s an odd, repeated theme of Latin-style music, emerging mostly from an antique portable radio in Segismundo ‘s grasp. It causes the entire cast to break into lively dancing which seems to have nothing to do with what’s going on. Segismundo’s transformation from confused prisoner to noble king lacks conviction; his voice and body language remain those of a manic rough diamond. Dominic West in a London production some years ago made the bridge more successfully. The show is publicised with its title in English only; I was slightly surprised to find it performed in Spanish. But the actors’ forceful diction, plus help from the surtitles, make it easy enough to follow - at least for me as a fully-sighted person. And playwright Calderon combines fine oratory and vivid imagery with a simplicity of expression that belies the play’s four-hundred-year history.
All in all it is an engrossing show fully meriting its place in this international festival, one of the best pieces of theatre in Edinburgh this year.
Cover photo: Javier Naval
