Paul Scofield: Peter Hall’s National Theatre Production, 1977

Abstract

The problems of any modern production of Volpone are, not surprisingly, the problems that have bedevilled the play since Jonson’s own time: how the play should look and how far the scenery should be allowed to distract from the words; the character of Volpone and his relationship with Mosca; the serious ending of the play; how much of the subplot to retain; and how to present Celia and Bonario who, if minor characters, loom large in challenging the credibility of the production. The director must at all times recognise that he has to persuade audiences that, although they are not watching Shakespeare, they are watching a play by his most impressive rival. Wolfit’s statement about the Macowan production is still very revealing. He noted that the ‘bitter savagery of Jonson was stressed and the broad gusty humour which disarms the nastiness … was to some extent lacking’, but it pleased ‘a highly sophisticated audience and ran for six weeks’. Wolfit thought that a simpler version might be played to ‘please audiences everywhere’.