Hi, my name is Iqbal Khan and I am directing
Antony & Cleopatra as part of the RSC Rome
Season
Antony & Cleopatra begins about two terms
after the events in Julius Caesar. It starts
in Egypt and it starts with Marcus Antonius,
Mark Antony the greatest soldier in the world
and one of the three leaders of the Roman
Empire having a scandalous affair with Cleopatra.
The first phase of the play ends with Antony
having to leave Egypt because of a potential
civil war. Pompey, the younger son of Old
Pompey, is threating the shores of Rome so
he has to leave. We also learn that his wife
is dead so he is now a single man with all
of that might promise for Cleopatra as he
leaves.
We cut to Rome, Rome begins as a complacent
place but very quickly gears up towards war
because they learn their people are turning
towards Pompey and they have to do something
about this. They don’t have Antony to rely
on because as far as they’re concerned Antony
is having a great time drinking and doing
whatever else in Egypt. So, they can’t rely
on this great soldier.
Octavius Caesar declares war on Egypt, Mark
Antony decides unwisely to fight by sea. He
loses the battle, Antony’s forces desert
following the fleeing ships of Egypt’s Queen,
Cleopatra.
He is shamed by this and learns of a secret
peace that is being negotiated between Cleopatra
and Caesar. He flies into a rage; Antony declares
another war which he loses. His greatest friend,
his General Enobarbus abandons him, takes
his own life in despair. Antony, thinking
Cleopatra has betrayed him decides to take
her life, she flees to the monument and has
a messenger go to him and tell him that she
has taken her life, to see how he takes it.
On hearing this he despairs and attempts to
take his own life. At that moment, a second
messenger from Cleopatra arrives to tell
him that she’s not dead. He asks to be taken
to her monument, they say a simple farewell
to each other. Cleopatra in trying to avoid
being captured by Caesar then arranges to
have her own life taken by having a basket
full of figs with two asps secreted in them
brought to her and she assures that she frustrates
Caesar’s attempts to use her as a part of
his triumph.
