Timon of Athens
By
William Shakespeare & Thomas Middleton
Shakespeares -The Globe Theatre
Words & Photography by Allison O'Donoghue
On Saturday the 26th of July 2008, I was lucky enough to attend Opening Night at The Globe Theatre of one of Shakespeare’s lesser known plays Timon of Athens. Little did any of us in the audience or production know that within weeks - the Global Financial Crisis would hit with a vengeance! The timing was almost scary in its prophecy. I have seen many a Shakespeare production in my lifetime but this one keeps repeating, replaying in my mind – three years later!
Directed by Lucy Bailey with designer William Dudley, composed by Django Bates and choreographed by Maxine Doyle, the same team who enjoyed phenomenal success with their production of Titus Andronicus, joined forces again to bring Timon of Athens to life.
Even though The Globe Theatre is universally known as Shakespeare’s it really wasn’t his, although he did have shares in the building. It was actor-manager James Burbage in 1576 who stationed his troupe known as The Chamberlain’s then the King’s Men, in the first purpose built playhouse in London originally located in Shoreditch, which flourished for over 20 years. Before this, Burbage and his players, of which Shakespeare was one, toured endlessly around the UK’s regional & rural areas performing in churches, Inn yards, guildhalls, private houses and even paddocks before eventually staying put in London.
What can I say about Shakespeare that hasn’t already been said? Not much. I can only talk about my own experience and the thrill of actually being there. I didn’t really care which play was showing, I just wanted the experience of being at the legendary Globe Theatre. The fact that I was standing on the same ground as Shakespeare and leading players such as Edward Alleyn and Richard Burbage (James’ son) and a cavalcade of leading lights was enough for me.
This is what I do know - Shakespeare was not a Lead actor, he was basically a jobbing actor (nothing wrong with that) who had to learn dialogue from at least 30 plays and he often played bit parts in his own, such as the Ghost in Hamlet or old Adam in As you Like it. When Shakespeare had time to write plays is anyone’s guess. Maybe he wrote during the quieter months of winter. As a jobbing actor he had to learn or rehearse his ‘bit part’ or ‘fifty worder’ in the morning before the afternoons performance. It was not unusual for Shakespeare and fellow players to learn 100 small parts in a season. It was thought that lead actors Burbage and Alleyn learnt as much as 5000 lines in a week. Phew!
I wonder if our pampered 21st Century actors could keep up that sort of pace let alone learn that many lines? I somehow doubt it.
Timon of Athens was a collaborative effort with fellow player Thomas Middleton who is said to have added his voice to a few Acts. Given that this was written between 1604–1606 it rings alarm bells for our century, in that money, greed, friendship and sycophants loom large. A departure for Shakespeare who, for the first (recorded) time collaborated and the play did not centre around family dynamics. Timon of Athens largely concentrates on friendships and money. Like oil and water, the two don’t mix.
It is unclear if the play was ever performed publicly as no references can be found in the Court records, meaning it may never have been performed for royalty. Given the subversive subject matter, that’s no big surprise.
Timon, a wealthy nobleman of Athens lavishes his friends, fellow noblemen and Athenian society with gifts, parties, banquets and loans of cash that he never expects to get back. Albeit, he doesn’t appear to mind as he has no immediate family members, no wife and no children. He considers his mates his family and treats them as such. When things go belly up and he loses his wealth he turns to his mates for help only to be shunned and rejected.
Everybody loves you when your up was apparently a theme in the 16th Century as much as it is today. Shakespeare could have been referring to James 1st, who recklessly spent the countries coffers on himself and friends. He paid the price!
Timon ends up living in the woods outside Athens. While digging for something to eat he stumbles across gold. Word spreads and suddenly he’s worth knowing again. Two friends do reach-out, Alcibiades an Athenian General and Apemantus, his cynical friend try to persuade Timon to rejoin society but he rebuffs their efforts and gives them gold to leave him alone. So deep is his pain of rejection by his perceived family, he in turn rejects them, society and becomes a misanthrope. No surprises, they take the gold and duly leave him alone.
The one person who is a true friend and like family, is his manservant Flavius who spends months trying to find him and when he does, he discovers his Master in utter disarray. Although Timon recognizes Flavius to be honest and devoted, he also shuns him, by now his bitterness knows no bounds. He dies alone, loveless, friendless and penniless.
The performances were brilliant however at times the dialogue was difficult to decipher and sometimes inaudible. That could be due to the design of the theater or my unfamiliarity with the play or the fact that Middleton’s voice is different to Shakespeare. It didn’t matter. I lapped it up.
The visual impact of this production was simply stunning. Director Lucy Bailey drew on several influences but one that shines thru loud and clear is Hitchcocks ‘The Birds’. A huge net hovers over the standing audience where actors in magnificent bird-of-prey costumes ominously watch over Timon, ready to pounce and devour him when the chips finally fall.
Doesn’t that remind you of corporate bankers today who hover over mortgage holders ready to pounce the moment they miss a payment?
To my aesthetic sensibilities The Globe Theatre is a perfect venue adhering to 16th Century building techniques and built on hallowed ground, the site of The Rose Theatre at what was then known as Bankside. It took American actor, producer and director Sam Wanamaker to initiate the rebuilding project and 23 years of tireless fundraising through the Shakespeare Globe Trust to get the ball rolling. And like 16th Century actor-manager James Burbage who died before the completion of The Rose Theatre in 1597, Wanamaker never lived to see the final product either, dying three years prior to The Globe’s completion.
The Globe Theatre has been open for business since 1997 and has put on every Shakespeare play ever written. In keeping with Shakespeare and his fellow players, The Globe Theatre hit the road in 2008, taking his plays to the masses outside of London playing to packed houses in regional & rural areas, just like Shakespeare and company used to do.
If Timon of Athens ever comes to a town near you, I can highly recommend it. Maybe Bells’ Shakespeare Theatre Company will take it on, as never a subject is more poignant today than it was 400 years ago. And as if to prove a point the cover charge for this production at The Globe was minimum 5 pounds ($10) standing room (underneath the birds-of-prey net) to maximum 33 pounds ($66) in the stalls. In others words accessible to all and guaranteed bums-on-seats.
Like The Globe’s motto – Totus Mundus – The whole world is a playhouse.
Moral of the story: Greed is Not good in any century.
www.shakespeares.globe.org
www.shakespeares.globe.org
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