What a treat it is to see a first-rate performance of Lope de Vega's Fuente Ovejuna on stage! Far more lovers of the drama know about this play than have ever seen it performed. And while Laurence Boswell's new version is not a perfect English rendition of Lope's poetry, nor is his direction as consistently captivating as it might be, it does present this remarkable play with clarity and punch.
Unlike any other of Lope's literally hundreds of plays, Fuente Ovejuna builds concern for the whole peasant population of the 17th-century Spanish town that is being brutally abused by its feudal overlord and eventually revolts and murders him.
Don't look for a lot of proletarian drama from 400 years ago; this one is unique. It has been interpreted to deal with many modern causes, but the fact is that Fuente Ovajuna shows extraordinary sympathy for the role of women in society, portraying the women as potentially strong-minded and powerful when united; and it wins unquestioning support for the oppressed population's unprecedented rebellion against their rapacious "lord and master."
Furthermore, its characterizing details demonstrate an innate decency, intelligence and even nobility in the uneducated, simple peasants and farmers who make up the town.
Lope based his drama on an earlier actual uprising during the 15th century and the ugly revenge that a real Spanish town named Fuente Ovajuna did take against their feudal military commander whose real name Lope uses. But if his ultimate overlords -- the then-regional Spanish king and queen who later really did take the territory back from Portugal and unify Spain as a great power -- are shown as idealized figureheads, and his villain is conventionally cruel and vicious, Lope's protagonist is the town.
Unheard of then, that approach remains amazing and uplifting. The great scene when one peasant after another, including a tiny boy, is questioned and tortured to tell who murdered the Commander, and every one of them answers "Fuente Ovejuna!" is a legendary coup de theatre; and Stratford's production makes it explode with passion.
A cast of thirty, many playing multiple roles, people the drama without a weak performance, though enormously skilled veterans like Geraint Wyn Davies and Seana McKenna have little to do but take stereotypical poses representing King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile.
Scott Wentworth chews a large part of Peter Hartwell's scenery as the evil, lecherous Fernan Gomez de Guzman. James Blendick is a bit grand as the town leader but moving as he demands retribution for Guzman's raping his daughter on her wedding day.
Sara Topham is lovely as Laurencia, that daughter; and Jonathan Goad is not just sympathetic and heroic but charming as her peasant lover Frondoso.
There's a surprising amount of humor in Lope's picture of these simple characters. Robert Persichini, as an innocent, badly-beaten young man, manages variety as well as comedy and sympathy with too many references to his raw, bleeding backside; and his climactic refusal to name anyone but the town as Guzman's murderer is dramatically telling.
Singers and musicians and virtually all of the actors present Edward Henderson's music to good effect. John Stead's fights are sometimes exciting, and his bits of onstage violence persuade us of the realistic complaint against Guzman and his predatory men. Michael J. Whitfield's lighting is a major contribution to the effectiveness of the staging.
I was delighted to see how responsively the audience accepted this unfamiliar history and became partisans of its conflict. Rich, potent and unparalleled, this is a great play.
