Edward II at the Royal Exchange

This was the season opener at The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester.  An impressive building that's worth a visit even if you're not attending a performance.  The building is definitely worth viewing and they have a lovely cafe and craft shop with some impressive things on sale.
I knew the gist of the story and had heard of the famous final scene.  Otherwise I hadn't read or seen this one before.  I had read two muted reviews in different Times' newspapers which didn't fill me relish at the visit.  This was on;y worsened by the most lacking programme I've ever purchased at the Exchange.  It was very poor.  No synopsis, no background to the play.  A nice 1950's timeline.  Full cast and crew and a heap of ad's.  It seems the theatres are struggling with cuts and nowhere was this in more in evidence than the programme. 
As the play began I did enjoy the 1950's setting much more than the reviewers had.  It worked well for me.  The 1950's seem to be the last decade where people dressed to a certain standard throughout society.  With the freedom of the 60's we lost the formality and stiffness in what we wore.  The costumes were excellent, as always.  The sets were more bare than I'm used to at the Exchange but very good.  
The cast didn't disappoint either.  The only weak link was the young Prince, I couldn't hear all his lines but he was very young.  Gaveston was played by someone who reminded me very much of a young Martin Sheen. The bits of Martin Sheen that I appreciate, not the annoying side. Isabella was played very well by Emma Cunniffe who I have to mention has just been in Dr Who ;-)  The King came across very well as a pathetic, petulant monarch.  This wasn't a play where I had much sympathy with any one character for long.  That may have been part of my problem with it...
Despite it looking great, good cast, lovely costumes, well acted I got bored.  the first half seemed to drag into eternity.  I can't have been the only one as there was more than one misplaced round of applause as members of the audience assumed the interval had arrived.  It picked up a little in the second half but once again began to drag.  I couldn't hate any of the characters but I couldn't like or respect any either.  Not enough empathy or emotion to keep me hooked.  The language was easier to follow than Shakespeare.  Which helped ease things.  I must be pretty lonely in my view as this is heralded as a classic and it doesn't look like it will stop being staged any time soon.
3 out of 5 pawprints