Mark Gatiss Terrifies in RSC's 'Arturo Ui' Production
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- Mark Gatiss portrays Arturo Ui, shifting from a tragicomic tramp to a terrifying figure with Hitler‑like moustache, Scrooge‑style gloom, and a wavering accent that blurs German and American tones.
- Sean Linnen directs the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production, employing circus‑like staging, stylised jazzy swing cymbal sound design by Johnny Edwards, and a visual palette that evolves from rag‑tag chaos to polished Nazi‑style uniforms.
- Mawaan Rizwan delivers a standout, manic performance as both the MC in the prologue and Giri, a satirical take on Hermann Göring, adding magnetic intensity to the play’s political satire.
- Placebo provides a thumping rock‑’n‑roll soundtrack that amplifies the gangster violence, likened to a Tarantino film score and heightening the production’s unsettling energy.
- Janie Dee offers emotionally resonant portrayals across multiple non‑comic roles, balancing the production’s blend of comic grotesqueness and menacing threat.
- Royal Shakespeare Company stages the revival with vibrant 1930s gangster costumes by Georgia Lowe and choreography by Jennifer Jackson, visually tracing the cast’s transformation from a circus troupe to organized fascists.
Why it matters: The production’s stark visual and auditory choices turn Brecht’s allegory into a visceral experience, giving theater audiences a powerful reminder of how charismatic demagogues can morph into tyrants, while the RSC demonstrates its capacity to fuse classic political theatre with contemporary staging innovations.
