Adrian Lester delivers a sensational performance in RSC's Cyrano de Bergerac
Adrian Lester stars as Cyrano in the Royal Shakespeare Company's revival of Edmond Rostand's classic romantic drama at the Noël Coward Theatre in Covent Garden, running from 26 June to 5 September 2026. Directed by Simon Evans and co-adapted with Debris Stevenson, this production restores the play to 1640 France, complete with period costumes, pocket swords, and mournful violin players. Despite its historical setting, the production feels wholly current, according to critic Holly O'Mahony.
A modern take on a classic tale
Unlike the recent London revival starring James McAvoy, which dispensed with Cyrano's prosthetic nose and set the play in modern dress, this RSC production embraces the period trappings. Lester's Cyrano is a man of swaggering confidence, a soldier adept with both sword and quill. His insecurities about his nose are stoically bottled up, and his rhyming couplets are described as 'achingly beautiful' and 'sexy'. Susannah Fielding plays Roxane with a sardonic, girl-next-door energy, contrasting with Cyrano's romanticised view of her.
Strong supporting cast and clever staging
Levi Brown plays Christian, the hunky but inarticulate love rival, whose verbal constipation is comically cringey. The balcony scene, where Cyrano feeds Christian lines to woo Roxane, is well executed. The production capitalises on its theatre setting, with musicians in boxes and characters moving through the auditorium. The first half features impressive sword fighting, while the second half is more sombre as the men go to war.
Tickets range from £15 to £195, and the running time is 2 hours 45 minutes. The production is recommended for its stirring, bittersweet longing.
