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| Cast | |
| Archbishop Thomas Becket | Steve Marshall |
| First Priest | Matt Clowry |
| Second Priest | Tony Donnelly |
| Third Priest | Clive Madel |
| Messenger | Richard Banks |
| First Tempter, Fourth Knight | Andrew Kelly |
| Second Tempter, Second Knight | Paul Friett |
| Third Tempter, Third Knight | Roger Gollop |
| Fourth Tempter | Mike Higginson |
| First Knight | Ian Saxton |
| Chorus | Aysev Ismail, Claire Lewis-McClean, Eleanor McEnery, Christine McKeon, Louise Ody. Lesley Robins, Annette Tranter |
| Crew | |
| Stage Manager | Richard Banks |
| Assistant Stage Manager | Mariam Schwencke |
| Set Design | Sue Higginson |
| Set Construction | John Vinnels, Peter Smith, Steve Grubb |
| Properties | John Vinnels, Peter Smith |
| Artwork | Andrew Kelly, Annette Tranter |
| Costumes | RSC and friends of EAT |
| Lighting | Jerry McKeon |
| Sound | Gill Grubb |
Review
Absorbing clash of faith and politics
Sue Higginson took on the daunting task of directing T S Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral at the Edward Alderton Theatre in Bexleyheath last week, writes Roy Atterbury. Telling the story of Archbishop Becket's assassination in Canterbury Cathedral, the production had some moments of awesome acting but some of the sequences failed to work as they should have done. In particular, the women representing the lower classes often spoke in unison but also lacked complete cohesion. On the other hand, Steve Marshall as Becket made an enormous impact and his sermon came close to being a theatrical classic.
Eliot's play is a complex work written in prose and blank verse and it is full of expressions which, in Shakespeare's time, would have entered the English language without any further thought yet, for some reason, Eliot suddenly introduces several modern phrases that jar within the flow of near poetic expression.
The play begins some seven years after Becket's exile in France. His former friend, and now enemy, Henry II is never seen but Becket, because of his deeply held beliefs, appears to have decided to become a martyr. The conflicts between religious faith and the political needs of the country are quite clearly outlined as are the misgivings of the barons and ordinary people about Becket's stance. It is never really made clear whether the King had anything to do with, or even knowledge of, the assassination but it is a powerful piece of theatre with actors such as Tony Donnelly, Ian Saxton, Eleanor McEnery and Mike Higginson giving particularly powerful performances.
A wonderful set, taut direction, and great costumes made for an absorbing evening but I don't think the play is quite as good as it is supposed to be.
Roy Atterbury
Kentish
Times | 16 December 2006
