Jonny Woo on Antony and Cleopatra reimagining at The Divine: ‘Sex, drugs and Shakespeare’
Exclusive: "From their first, big sniff of amyl nitrate at the start, it’s a thrilling, roller-coaster ride of emotion," the entertainment icon writes for Attitude
By Jonny Woo
From the heart of London’s queer underground comes an unexpected Shakespearean revival. Jonny Woo, East End icon and provocateur, is set to take us behind the velvet curtain of his latest adventure: starring as Cleopatra in a radical reimagining of the Bard’s epic love story.
Set in the hedonistic world of Berlin club culture, this production promises to inject new life into classic verse. In this piece, Jonny shares how a throwaway compliment from visionary director Robert Chevara sparked a journey to bring Antony and Cleopatra: A Dream of Passion to the stage of The Divine, his new Dalston venue.
“You’d make a wonderful Cleopatra,” Robert Chevara said to me. This was how our journey began to bring this new version of Shakespeare’s masterpiece to The Divine, Antony and Cleopatra: A Dream of Passion.
Robert, the director, had seen the greats play her – Vanessa Redgrave, Glenda Jackson – so my ego was flattered. He is a fab, visionary director, so when he said this during rehearsal for Alexis Gregory’s Sex / Crime, I said, “Yes, let’s make this happen!”
I’ve always loved taking risks and being radical and at a time when cabaret and clubbing have done everything that can shock, what’s more radical than staging Shakespeare in a queer basement club? Robert conceived the idea of setting the play in Berghein, in Berlin, so our space is perfect and it’s a perspective that speaks to our audience.
Robert found inspiration in people playing out their lives in clubs. He knew people who literally died for their love of clubs and drugs and didn’t know that I took myself to the brink like this; so, this notion that Antony and Cleopatra live on the precipice of existence really spoke to me. Robert’s fresh take on the play makes the language even more vital, exciting and dangerous.
It’s an, all gay, male cast. I play Cleopatra, an older gay man; William McGeough plays a younger, rougher Antony; Alexis Gregory plays Cleopatra’s right-hand man, Charmian, and activist Jonathan Blake plays the mysterious messenger, Dolabella. In Shakespeare’s day, all the cast were men/boys, cross dressing, but here we play as gay men who are feminine and masculine, dominant and submissive, weak and strong, cruel and powerful. It leaves you thinking, who is on top in that relationship?
With the tragedy, comes the comedy. Robert wanted karaoke moments which lighten the mood and root the work in the entertainment of the people; the working classes. In theatres today, Shakespeare can seem so lofty, but it was always meant for everyone.
Robert said he’d never seen a good production of Antony and Cleopatra. We intend to put that right. It’s a rush from start to finish, running at 70 minutes. From their first, big sniff of amyl nitrate at the start, it’s a thrilling, roller-coaster ride of emotion.
This is sex, drugs and Shakespeare!
Antony and Cleopatra: A Dream of Passion is running at The Divine between 12 September and 27 September. Click here for tickets.