By Edmund Rostand
In a new version by Simon Evans & Debris Stevenson
Directed by Simon Evans
Set & costume design by Grace Smart
Composer Alex Baranowski
Royal Shakespeare Company
Swan Theatre
Stratford Upon Avon
Saturday 1st November 2025
CAST
Adrian Lester-Cyrano de Bergerac
Susannah Fielding- Roxane
Levi Brown – Christian de Neuvillette
Scott Handy – Comte de Guiche
Philip Cumbus – Le Bret
Christian Patterson – Ragueneau
Chris Nayak- Monfleury / Priest / Bernard
Joseph Christian – Edmund
Greer Dale-Faulkes – Abigail
Caolan McCarthy – Arnauld
David Mildon – Jodolet
Matt Mordak – Valvert / Pierre
Daniel Nordford – Louis
Sunny Chung- Sister Claire / Madame Jodolet
Cyrano’s band
Rachel Dawson – Anne Sofie, band member, cello
Oliver Gant – Jean, band leader, violin
Josh Sneesby – Josh, band member, accordion
Musicians:
Jim Therault- woodwind
James Stretton – brass
Nick Lee- guitar
Kev Waterman – percussion
This had great word of mouth. We took our seats and there was Andrew Lloyd Webber sitting in the a row but one directly in front of us. He was in E. We were in G. I like this about Britain. No one hassled him. He went out for his interval ice cream and sat to eat it and again was left alone. I did note at the curtain call he got blown a kiss by the leading lady. Or maybe it was meant for me.
While I’ve seen film versions of the story, I didn’t know the original play at all. Edmond Rostand’s play was written in 1897. It was based on the tales of the original Cyrano de Bergerac, who was a novelist, playwright, philosopher and swordsman who lived between 1619 and 1655. Edmond Rostand combined facts about his life with new invention. Cyrano de Bergerac and a Baron Christian de Neuvillette had fought at the Battle of Arras in the Franco-Spanish war in 1640. The Christian in Rostand’s play is invention using the name. Rostand also thought up the large nose.
The programme notes are fascinating. The concept was from Simon Evans and Adrian Lester from the outset. Debris Stevenson was brought in a year ago to work on the verse (and more), and came up with the idea that each major character should have their own style. So Christian uses no Latinate words. Ragueneau has simple ABAB rhymes.
It is an adaptation, not a direct translation. It follows the plot but omits some characters and several events. It’s cut and sharpened compared to the full Wiki synopsis.
A change in this version is that in the original play, Cyrano says he’s won a band for the day. They just cut ‘for the day’ so we have Cyrano’s band: accordion, cello, violin, throughout. That’s as well as the four musicians in the gallery. The music is sublime. So is the sound. It is surround sound with cannon, knocking on doors all around you. As we left, I noticed a huge bass speaker against the side. They must have had several.
I wish I’d read more in advance so as to be clear on the five acts in space and time. I’ll do this in acts, because the play has a range of styles. It starts off as audience participation high comedy and action, moves into romantic comedy, then into drama on the battlefield, and then ends with poignant tragedy. The range is the appeal.
Act one is an empty and run-down theatre. I’m going to take this carefully, because while we thoroughly enjoyed it, it was confusing working out who was who and what they were doing. So it plot spoils a little, but it will also smooth comprehension. Acts two to five are much clearer to follow. Act one is rollicking, a lot of fun, noisy and exciting but it is also complicated.
Ragueneau (Christian Patterson) delivers some verse, and Christian (Levi Brown) arrives. He is fresh from the country and speaks in strong Brummy (which will always go down well at Stratford, though I’m told the Black Country accent starts one mile north of Stratford). His main skill is knowing the collective nouns for animals. (A proud grandad’s note. Our four year old announced, ‘I got skills.’ I said, ‘What are they?’ He said ‘I can count to ten in Spanish AND I can do a somersault.’)
They’re joined by the theatre manager, Jodolet (David Mildon), and the guard captain, Le Bret (Philip Cumbus). Le Bret is Cyrano’s pal. They’re all looking for Cyrano. Ragueneau introduces Christian to Le Bret, as a volunteer for the army. At this point, the ‘audience’ arrive. Roxane (Susannah Fielding) is accompanied by The Comte de Guiche (Scott Handy) and her maid Abigail (Greer Dale-Faulkes ). Three of the audience in the centre were asked to shift to let them have their seats. Fourth walls were shattered throughout! Christian has seen Roxane before and is struck by her. She is a young and beautiful widow.
Montfleury (Chris Nayak) is a ham actor in 17th century costume messing up his speech. Cyrano has warned him not to go on stage again. While Montfleury is mangling his part, Cyrano (Adrian Lester). arrives and orders him off. Adrain Lester brings instant charisma to the stage.
The nose is the thing. It’s an excellent prosthetic, and it was a good decision to make it long, but just on the edge of possible. Other versions have had 30 centimetre prosthetic Pinocchio noses. The make up artist got his schnozzle just right. Cyrano is highly sensitive about it.
Valvert is Guiche’s ‘lackey’ and appears to have remarked upon it. This leads to a magnificently athletic sword fight. We even get cartwheels from Adrian Lester.
After which, Roxane greets him. They have been friends since childhood. Cyrano and Le Bret talk, and Abigail arrives with a message from Roxane who wants to meet Cyrano. Abigail had a wonderful flirt with Le Bret, but due to our position we couldn’t see her through Le Bret blocking our view! One hundred men are waiting to fight Cyrano, so off he goes.
Act two, is outside Ragueneau’s bakery. The curtains lift. The distressed wall is covered with poetry pinned there, presumably Cyrano’s.
Cyrano and Ragueneau chat about Cyrano’s poems, and Cyrano is bent on writing one now.
Cyrano meets Roxane, who tenderly bandages the hand he cut in the previous day’s fight. They play clever word games and laugh as they did as children.
She tells him she’s in love, and his hopes rise. Then she tells him it’s with the newly arrived Christian. Roxane thinks the soldiers will be rough on the innocent Christian, and makes Cyrano promise to look after him.
Le Bret, Guiche and the soldiers arrive asking Cyrano to tell his tale of the fight the night before. Christian keeps interrupting with nose jokes in his broad Black Country accent. Cyrano bites his tongue and tries to persist with the tale, but Christian makes quips all the time. Cyrano’s temper flares.
After a contretemps, Christian says he’s in love with Roxane, but is too inarticulate to write her the requisite love letters. Cyrano had been writing a love poem, but gallantly hands it over to Christian, suggesting he pretend he wrote it. Cyrano will do anything to make Roxane happy.
Act three. Roxane meets Cyrano, and says after all these beautiful love letters, she wants to meet Christian. The Comte de Guiche, their military commander turns up. He too is after Roxane and loathes Cyrano. He has been ordered to fight the Spanish, and says Cyrano’s unit (which includes Christian) will be going. Roxane has an idea. She says Cyrano seeks glory, and the best way to upset Cyrano would be to leave him and his troop in Paris. She sends Guiche off to the war.
Then Christian is summoned to meet her. She is on a balcony, and Cyrano stands back pressed against the wall below, indicating what Christian should do. Christian is inarticulate verging on thick. ‘I love you’ is all he can think of to say.
Now we see the need for a definite accent for Christian, because it allows Cyrano to imitate Christian’s voice. He does beautiful Brummy too. Christian gets to kiss her.
Guiche arrives in a fit of jealousy. He will send the unit to the front line after all. Roxane makes Cyrano promise to look after Christian, and also to make him write to her every day.
The interval came here. This is the Act four battlefield set before the second part. It’s a siege, and the soldiers are starving and despondent. Cyrano instead of writing on Christian’s behalf once a day has written more often. They despise de Guiche. He has consorted with the Spanish, intending them to kill his rivals Cyrano and Christian. He tells the troop they have to hold the line whatever.
Roxane, Abigail are disguised as nuns (with a real nun) and have managed to get through the lines with food for the soldiers. Roxane had to see Christian. She shows him the wonderful poems he has written to her.
Christian realizes her true love is the writer of the letters, Cyrano. He persuades Cyrano that he must tell Roxane the truth, that he is the writer.
Christian is fatally injured by a cannon shot Iin surround sound!) Cyrano decides that he cannot destroy her memories of Christian, who even had the ‘in case I die’ letter written by Cyrano.
The battle commences with de Guiche hustling Roxane to safety.
Act 5. Fifteen years later. Roxane rarely leaves the building, but Guiche has come to visit. She is waiting for Cyrano to come. There is news that he has been stabbed in the back in a brawl. He arrives with a cloak. She asks him to read Christian’s last letter, and as he reads, she realizes that it was him all along. She tells him that she loves him. His stab wound is revealed, and he dies in her arms. Sob.
Acting, lighting, set, direction, text. It scores full points at every level. The play now fascinates me because of the range of mood it runs through over the five acts. I’ll have to see another version. The three leads, Adrian Lester, Susannah Fielding and Levi Brown will all compete for best actor of the year.
The RSC has done more 5 star plays this year than any year I remember. Here’s anotrher. No question. Five stars
*****
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
5 star
Sarah Crompton, What’s On Stage *****
Sarah Hemming Financial Times *****
Domenic Maxwell, The Times *****
Raphael Kohn, All That Dazzles *****
Roni, Theatre & Tonic *****
Dave Fargnoli, The Stage *****
Marc Brenner, West End Best Friend *****
4 star
Arifa Akbar, The Guardian ****
Domenic Cavendish The Telegraph ****
Gary Naylor Broadway World ****
LINKS ON THIS BLOG
Cyrano (film) 2021
SIMON EVANS (Director)
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Brecht, Donmar 2017
ADRIAN LESTER
Othello, NT 2013 (Othello)
Romeo & Juliet, NT 2021 (Prince)
SUSANNAH FIELDING
Death On The Nile (film) 2022
The Country Wife, William Wycherly, Chichester 2018
The Beaux Stratagem by George Farquhar, National Theatre 2015
The Merchant of Venice, Almeida 2015 (Portia)
PHILIP CUMBUS
Richard III, Trafalgar Studio 2014 (Earl of Richmond)
‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore, Wanamaker Playhouse 2014, (Vasquez)
The Importance of Being Earnest (with David Suchet), 2015 (Algernon)
First Light, Chichester 2016 (Max Henderson)
Comus, Wanamaker Playhouse, 2016 (Henry Lawes)
CHRIS NAYAK
As You Like It, RSC Garden 2024
The Empress, RSC 2023
King Lear, Globe 2017
Much Ado About Nothing, RSC 2015, 2016 (Borachio)
Love’s Labours Lost, RSC 2015, 2016
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, RSC 2016 (Demetrius)
SCOTT HANDY
Richard III, Almeida 2016 (Clarence)
Merchant of Venice, Almeida (Antonio)
Macbeth, RSC 2011 (Ross)
Peter Viney's Blog 
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