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Tue 29 Nov 2005

A European master takes on a classic.

It is 12 years since Peter Stein first brought his energy and vision to the Festival. Julius Caesar at the 1993 Festival was a colossal production staged at Ingliston in an exhibition centre and involving 200 extras. Theatre critic, Mark Fisher recently wrote "Julius Caesar was the epic, radical reworking of Shakespeare that so many productions from around the world in previous decades might have promised but rarely delivered."

Julius Caesar turned out to be the first of many visits to the Festival for this giant of European theatre. A close friendship with Festival Director Brian McMaster has seen him return to Edinburgh directing Verdi's Falstaff, Aeschylus's Oresteia, Botho Strauss's Die Ähnlichen, Wagner's Parsifal, Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, Cherry Orchard, and The Seagull, and most recently David Harrower's compelling new play Blackbird: productions which stand out as some of the highlights of McMaster's tenure at the Festival.

In 2006 Stein creates a new production of Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida for the Festival, bringing his legendary authority to this classic tale of love, war and betrayal.

Although set during the Trojan War, one of the most famous and brutal in history, Troilus and Cressida is considered one of Shakespeare's finest comedies, a provocative play about politics, brutality, vanity, double standards and lust.

Stein's staging of Shakespeare's tale is set to be one of the highlights of McMaster's final year as Edinburgh International Festival Director.

Brian commented in The Scotsman this year, "He is one of the great masters. You can debate for ever about all the methods Stein uses as a director, about his scenic sense, his obsession with text, his deep research into history and period. But in the end, it's all at the service of one thing, and that is the extraordinary performances he gets out of actors."

When the curtain comes down in Edinburgh next summer the production will move on to Stratford upon Avon where the Royal Shakespeare Company will present it as part of its year-long festival of all of Shakespeare's works.

Playwright David Harrower watched Stein working on his own play Blackbird this year, "He ingests the text. When he's in full battle cry, he's astonishing to watch." As are his polished productions. Get ready to book for this great director's take on a classic.

Peter Stein will direct Troilus and Cressida at Festival 2006. An Edinburgh International Festival Production in association with the RSC.