The bright lights of Hollywood and the revered words of the Bard have long made for uneasy bedfellows on the London stage. Film stars turning to Shakespeare to prove their acting mettle is a well-worn path, but one increasingly strewn with critical landmines, as Sigourney Weaver’s recent star turn in The Tempest lays bare.
Weaver, the acclaimed Alien star, is only the latest A-lister to underwhelm in a contemporary Shakespeare production, exposing the double-edged sword of celebrity casting. Her performance as Prospero at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane garnered scathing reviews, with critics skewering her “flat and featureless” delivery that “left a vacuum” in the central role.
The Lure and Peril of Celebrity Shakespeare
The allure for film stars is evident – proving one’s dramatic chops by mastering Shakespeare’s daunting yet illustrious roles. For producers, a famous face on the marquee practically guarantees ticket sales. In a post-pandemic landscape of struggling theaters, the financial incentive is stark.
Big names mean advance bookings, even more so if they’re performing a school curriculum text. Theatreland needs this cash.
– Kate Maltby, cultural critic
Yet the pitfalls are equally apparent. Weaver, who excels in modern dramas, seemed utterly at sea with Shakespeare’s verse, uncertain of “what a line is,” per one review. Her stammering opening night performance where she blanked on a crucial passage revealed a deeper disconnect with the material.
A Crisis of Credibility
For the West End, the concern runs deeper than one botched production. The increasing dependence on big-name casting over acting pedigree risks infantilizing and alienating audiences in the long run. As critic Fiona Mountford admonished, Weaver’s Tempest was “theatre as those who don’t go dread that it will be.”
It begs the question of how much credibility and future audience goodwill these institutions are willing to sacrifice for short-term celebrity-fueled gains. Because when the limelight fades and only the performances remain, lackluster star turns like Weaver’s threaten to leave a new generation disillusioned with Shakespeare entirely.
Rethinking Star Power on the Stage
The West End’s celebrity problem goes beyond acting chops. The current model, which frontloads stars’ limited stage time and rearranges scenes around them, overtly patronizes audiences. Kenneth Branagh’s abs-forward King Lear and Benedict Cumberbatch’s relocated “To be, or not to be” soliloquy suggest a lack of faith in the source material.
- Pandering to celebrity over the integrity of the play
- Simplifying complex themes and erasing controversial elements
- Assuming audiences can’t appreciate Shakespeare without gimmicks
It’s a vicious cycle – casting choices that don’t trust the audience only breed future audiences not versed in the brilliance of the Bard. There are certainly film stars with the chops to carry a Shakespearean role, but that skill must be the foremost criteria, not a mere afterthought.
Perhaps Weaver’s high-profile misfire can serve as a wakeup call, a chance for theaters to reorient their priorities. To seek out skilled interpreters of classical roles first and foremost, regardless of their IMDB ranking. To produce Shakespeare that challenges and enthralls modern theatergoers on its own terms.
The alternative is a West End where Shakespeare is just another vehicle for an ever-rotating cast of A-listers, his genius diminished by the pursuit of star power. Prioritizing rich performances over rich performers may require short-term sacrifices, but it’s the only way to ensure the Bard’s legacy outlives any one paparazzi’s flashbulb.
