Robert Tanitch reviews Holy Warriors at Shakespeare’s Globe, London
David Eldridge describes his epic play as “a fantasia on the Third Crusade and the history of the violent struggle in the Holy Lands.”
Christians and Muslims have been in conflict for centuries. The word “crusade” is not to be used lightly. It can still rankle. The Third Crusade lasted from 1188-1192. The struggle continues. 900 years on, there is still no lasting peace. The War on Terror is going to take more time.
Richard the Lionheart gets the blame for the mess we are in today. If only he had accepted Saladin’s offer to divide and share Jerusalem instead of rushing back to England to deal with his brother, John, he might not have ended up in purgatory.
Saladin, a great warrior, a great diplomat, famous for his chivalry, is given a charismatic presence by Alexander Saddig. John Hopkins is no less charismatic as Richard, brave and charming, full of ironic humour and with a massive ego. Saladin and Richard never met in real life. You wish they had.
After the interval the cast gets out of their 12th century costumes and into modern combat uniform. Napoleon, Lawrence of Arabia, Golda Meir, George W Bush, Tony Blair and other figures put in brief appearances.
James Dacre gives Eldridge’s play the epic production it needs; but there is a basic problem and that is that unless you have done your history homework before you go to the Globe, you will be, for much of the time, at a loss as to what is actually going on, except at the most superficial level.
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