“It’s such a powerful piece of theatre and a very exciting project,” Oxford Theatre Guild‘s Simon Tavener says when describing T.S. Eliot’s Murder In The Cathedral, coming soon to Oxford Playhouse.
Written against the backdrop of the rise of fascism in the 1930s, T.S. Eliot‘s powerful retelling of the final days of Thomas Becket is one of the most influential plays of the 20th century.
‘It is one of the most influential plays of the 20th century’
“It’s about conflict, misogyny, faith, philosophy – there is so much in there to process – so while it is thought provoking, there is lots to take home and think about,” Simon adds. “It’s so full of drama.”
Oxford Theatre Guild is back with a fresh new take on the modern classic, a play that Simon has waited 40 years to stage: “I first saw Murder In The Cathedral while studying it for A Levels and it made such a lasting impression on me. I can still remember everyone discussing it at school the next day, so it definitely sticks in the mind,” he says.
Where to start then? With a cast of 31, including the chorus who depict the resolute Women of Canterbury who are seeking sanctuary and at the heart of the performance: “They guide the audience through the play and take them on the same emotional journey, forcing us to bear witness to a nation in turmoil,” Simon says.
Usually staged in a church or cathedral, Simon is excited to be bringing Murder In The Cathedral back into a theatre at Oxford Playhouse: “I have been thinking about how to stage this for a number of years – its imagery, sounds and scenarios – so it’s been quite instinctive in how it’s all come together.”
‘when I’ve mentioned it to people, some have presumed it’s an Agatha Christie. If you can have death in the vicarage why not murder in the cathedral?’
There is also a choir, as is fitting in the modern retelling of this Greek-style tragedy: “T.S. Eliot is one of the greatest writers of all time – he didn’t win the Nobel Prize for nothing. But it his reinvention of the Greek tragedy that has made Murder In The Cathedral a modern classic,” he agrees. “It makes you think about your place in the world.
“Which means that the challenge is to respect T.S Eliot’s language as a wordsmith, while finding the drama and developing the characters. We want to break down the barriers between the audience and the actors – to make it more immersive while integrating the chorus, choir and characters.
“So it’s really exciting to see it come to life, and all the elements coming together, to give it a fresh lick of paint. And Oxford has a strong connection to TS Eliot – he studied at Merton College, Oxford, from 1914 -1915, and there is an active TS Eliot society in the city. So while Its thought provoking and while Murder In The Cathedral will provide some great theatre, it also slots into the academic traditions of the city.
“And the last time it was staged in Oxford was 20 years ago at ChristChurch, so it’s a joy staging it here and feels like the circle is complete. We want it to be a feather in the OTG cap.”
‘the challenge is to respect T.S Eliot’s language as a wordsmith, while finding the drama and developing the characters, to break down the barriers between the audience and the actors’
Quite a serious topic though? “Well yes, it’s based around Thomas Becket’s final days and depicts a man in turmoil who is approaching his death, while questioning whether you can seek to become a martyr.
“Here is a man seen to be arrogant and devout. Is he actively seeking murder or is it the will of God? He will not obey his king and has to face the consequences. So it’s a story of a man in conflict facing his own mortality, and the struggles that take place between state and church, himself and God.
“Plus it was written in 1935 during a time of great uncertainty, so its themes of domestic troubles and global oppression are still relevant today, and Canterbury is still a place of sanctuary.
“So it was a very conscious choice to stage this. Murder In The Cathedral is still widely performed – the Orange Tree Theatre production starring David Suchet later this year is already sold out.”
‘We want our audiences to experience something special – to come in with an open mind and take it for what it is – a modern classic of an old tale’
And then Simon laughs: “Although when I’ve mentioned it to people, some have presumed it’s an Agatha Christie. If you can have death in the vicarage why not murder in the cathedral?”
“But our audiences expect experience and quality from us, and that’s what they are going to get because Murder In The Cathedral is very powerful.
“I just hope they have the same visceral reaction to it as I did 40 years ago, because that’s what theatre is all about. We want our audiences to experience something special – to come in with an open mind and take it for what it is – a modern classic of an old tale.”
Murder In The Cathedral comes to Oxford Playhouse from Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 April. Book here https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/murder-in-the-cathedral
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