Review: CYRANO, Traverse Theatre

Written by Virginia Gay and directed by Clare Watson this is a new gender-flipped retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. 

Things are done a little bit differently in this version and we have Cyrano (Virginia Gay) meeting Roxanne (Jessica Whitehirst) for the first time now rather than having known her for a long time. They are also not related as they are in most iterations. Cyrano is charming but she's overly conscious of her appearance. Mentioning it before anyone else ever gets the chance to pass comment, Cyrano ridicules herself with gags about her unusually large nose. 

Enter Yan (Brandon Grace), an impossibly handsome but intellectually lacking suitor for Roxanne. He's taken by her beauty but he doesn't have the words to charm her. Cyrano speaks for him, giving him pure poetry to win her over. 

Virginia Gay is completely captivating as Cyrano. The audience is invited to suspend their disbelief and view Cyrano as someone unloveable rather than this charming and witty poet. There is also strong support from a wonderful ensemble cast who bring music and humour to the production.

This is a wonderfully bold and vibrant version of Cyrano that gives an exciting new life to a well-known piece.

Photo credit: Mihaela Bodlovic

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