Rape of Lucrece

Camille O'Sullivan in a solo 80minute rendition of William Shakespere narritive poem The Rape of Lucrece on the thrust stage of the Swan Theatre. Props? two pairs of shoes, and a couple of stacks of A4 paper with what looked like the poem text printed on it. To the rear of the stage her pianist Feargal Murray and co writter of the songs sat behind a grand.
She held the stage and the audience in hushed silence, relating the story and adding a half a dozen songs of her own. Not know as a song writer I guess this was quite hard for her and there was a tendency to bring in themes and mottifs from songs she knows. Some worked, especially the short opener and an excellant closer but some didn't and could have done with more work.
A brave undertaking.
The revamped RSC at Stratford looking so much better for its rework with the main stage now in thrust formation and the audience stacked up on vertical balconies surrounding the stage.