Edward II at the National Theatre

Edward II is chiefly known nowadays due to the (allegedly) gruesome nature of his death, so first of all, here is a quick recap from Sellars and Yeatman: 

Edward II had a wave of favourites or hangers-on at court, of whom the worst was Piers Gaveston. They were Edward’s reply to the continual application of the Barons for a confirmation of all the charters and garters of the Realm. Edward II was so weak that he kept banishing his favourites and then unbanishing them again. The barons therefore became so impatient that they deposed Edward without even waiting to arrange for any false claimants to the throne.

The son of Edward I, ‘the hammer of the Scots’, Edward II was seen as something of a playboy; early on in Marlowe’s drama, we are told that ‘music and poetry is his delight’. More controversially for his Earls (and his wife), he also took delight in the company of Piers Gaveston, a Frenchman of common birth. Despite having no real authority, Gaveston gave bad counsel, alienated the ruler from his advisors and annoyed the nation with his cavorting – so basically a cross between Peter Mandelson and Miley Cyrus. Determined to reassert their authority, the Earls threatened to rebel against the King if Gaveston was not banished. This set in train a power struggle that, in typically Marlowe style, leaves pretty much everyone dead by the final curtain.

Many of Marlowe’s heroes, like Faustus and Tamburlaine, are eventually destroyed by hubris and lust for power. Edward, played here by John Heffernan, is different; for him, power is a means to an end, the freedom to live as he pleases with Gaveston. When this desire is threatened by the jealous Earls, he initially plays the tyrant (‘I will have Gaveston and you shall know What danger ‘tis to stand against your king’), but ultimately he has little stomach for this act, wavering and submitting to his enemies.  At one point, he threatens to dissolve the churches; Marlowe’s audience would have been well-aware of what could happen when a powerful monarch challenged the Pope, and have perceived the limitations of Edward’s authority. The fact that, like Henry VIII, Edward’s successor was still a youth, would also have given a sense of foreboding to an audience which believed in the need for strong monarchs. Heffernan is equally effective as a joyful, beholden lover to Kyle Soller's outrageous Gaveston, as a spiteful husband and finally as a despairing prisoner, performing a complex role with assurance, pathos and humour.

What is fascinating in Marlowe’s play is his seeming impatience; rather than gradually building Edward’s character up, following the traditions of the tragic hero, Edward’s downfall begins extremely early. Speeches and soliloquies are kept brief, with the focus being on the action at all times. The tempo of the production reflects this, making clever use of live video streams to ensure that there are normally two or more things happening simultaneously for the audience to watch. This has the effect of holding the crowd’s attention whilst also reflecting the chaos of rebellion and war. Edward’s descent is counter-balanced by the rise of Mortimer (a muscular performance by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), who enjoys a vertiginous rise before the thread that connects them snaps, leaving both to plunge to their dooms in the finale.

The National Theatre production is heavily influenced by Brecht; key events, such as the murder of the King, are announced by live captions before they occur, whilst the backstage area is visible behind the set, ensuring that the audience cannot forget the artificial nature of the spectacle they are witnessing. In the first act, the stage contains a walled off room where plots are hatched and parties held, which the audience can only see in glimpses, and through live relay on the video screens. The shaky, hand-held footage is a very contemporary touch, evocative of citizen journalism and embedded reporters. Later, this room is dismantled, acting as a metaphor for the anarchy of the conflict between Edward and his Earls. At one point, characters are shown on the video screens entering the theatre from outside, walking through production offices before appearing on the stage. Whilst the production is predominantly performed in period costume, and the original script is adhered to, some characters appear in modern dress, notably Gaveston and Queen Isabella, played by Vanessa Kirby as a huffy Sloane.

There are some false notes; although she grows into the role after the interval, Kirby doesn’t always convince during the first half, whilst Mortimer’s frenzied bellowing late on is a little overdone. Mainly, though, the production is notable for audacious touches like Gaveston’s initial entrance, and the success it has in maintaining the hysterical intensity of Marlowe’s script from the opening section to the end. There are moments of physical comedy, when the King and his favourite torment the Bishop of Coventry, whilst Edward’s misery later on is affecting. The supporting cast features strong performances from Kirsty Bushell as Kent and Nathaniel Martello-White as Spencer, amongst others. The constant activity onstage means that the first act doesn’t drag, despite its near two-hour running time. As with many modern productions, this adaptation is overt about the King’s sexuality, playing up innuendos in Marlowe’s text, but the performances are rarely camp. Whilst Edward suffers for his sexual desire, others such as Isabella and Mortimer are also bought to their knees by lust, whether it be desire for power or protection.

On the way out, there seemed to be a mixed reaction from the audience, with some traditionalists disappointed by the modern touches of the production; on the other hand, I found the dynamic staging exhilarating and fascinating, the energy sufficient to make up for occasional flaws. Edward II may not have all the depth and enduring brilliance of Doctor Faustus or Tamburlaine, but the ebb and flow of the drama makes for a startling night at the theatre.  

Edward II runs at The National Theatre until 26 October. More information and tickets here.