Coriolanus

A seldom-produced Shakespeare play, Coriolanus goes like this: a young Roman Republic is on the brink of collapse, faced with rioting Plebeians and a warring enemy tribe, the Volsces. Amid this conflict, the talented Roman soldier Caius Martius is honored for valiant service in the war and earns the name Coriolanus. Having defeated his Volscian rival, Tullus Aufidius, he returns home to his family and runs for consul. However, his pride and arrogance prevent him from getting the peoples’ approval, and Coriolanus is eventually banished from Rome, only to ally himself with the Volsces in revenge. Coriolanus’ friends plead with him to spare Rome, but to no avail. Finally, his mother, wife, and son come to him and beg for their lives. The proud soldier relents, promising to spare Rome. Enraged by Coriolanus’ mercy, Aufidius kills him.

This fiery 2024 production, presented at John DeSotelle Studio’s The Nu Box in Hell’s Kitchen, brings the reality of the veteran’s experience to the forefront through brutal fight coreography, stunning performances, and inserts of interviews with veterans.