Theatre / Theatre Royal Bath
Review: The Two Popes, Theatre Royal Bath – ‘It’s a story with no thrill’
It’s interesting that there are Popes who don’t die in office. It happened 700 years ago and again in 2013 when Pope Benedict (formerly Cardinal Ratzinger) handed over to Pope Francis (formerly Cardinal Bergoglio).
McCarten’s play imagines what the two men might have gone through in the lead-up to that handover; the theological challenges it raises for the Catholic Church, but also – to a much lesser degree – the moral ones that the Papacy holds for the office bearer.
Anton Lesser plays German Pope Benedict who loves classical piano and his studies, and Nicholas Woodeson plays football, tango and Abba-loving Argentinian Pope Francis.
is needed now More than ever
These are two of Britain’s finest actors; seeing them perform what is basically a two-hander is a treat for any lover of British drama. However, it’s a shame that this is the show in which they come together.
Anton Lesser as German Pope Benedict and Nicholas Woodeson as Argentinian Pope Francis – photo: Manuel Harlan
While The Two Popes looks at a moment in history which could really capture the imagination, this play doesn’t even half-heartedly skip after it. It’s as if McCarten feels a duty to play us only a sanitised family home movie version.
It’s all exposition about their past lives and regrets about being in a a job for life, and so very “he-said; he-said” (there’s almost no “she-said” – each man gets an attendant nun whose job it is to tick him off at the start – before never speaking again – in the first of many mirror-image scenes designed to heavily underscore the similarities between two men who appear oh-so different and end up as friends).
This, I’m afraid, ties a ten-tonne weight to the piece. It’s a story with no thrill; there is no suspense, tension, or jeopardy whatsoever. The emotional pace is flat.
Now, I must be fair: I heard people around me say the word, “brilliant”. And people laughed here and there. I wondered if I was just in the wrong mood – am I the fool? (A question I’ve asked before here!) But in all conscience, I can’t tell you to see this play. I can’t tell you it was good.
I thought it was an interesting subject, but that the talent – behind the scenes, as well as on the stage – are sadly underserved by a script which fails to explore the massive human dramas behind this story.
When the issue of churchmen – including Pope Benedict when he was Cardinal Ratzinger – not doing enough to prevent child abuse is only really addressed as a whisper behind a cupped hand in the penultimate scene, you know this is a script which is running shy; willing to ride on the coat-tails of the two-Pope story, but fighting shy of tackling the bigger issues therein.
Main photo: Manuel Harlan
Read more:
- Review: Hamlet, Bristol Old Vic – ‘Taut, claustrophobic and visaully stunning
- Review: The Snap Gram of Dorian Grat, Alma Tavern – ‘The story couldn’t be more fitting for 2022’
- Review: For a Palestinian, The Weston Studio, Bristol Old Vic – ‘Powerful and Convincing’
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