About a decade ago there was a renewed interest in Schillers work. The previous revival had been in the 80s by the late Malcolm Edwards excellent Theatre Manoeuvres Company. Schiller has been described as the German Shakespeare, and though not as prolific as the English Bard, he deals with similar themes and owes much to him. For some reason, though, these revivals never seem to last long, almost as though Schiller is not for the British mentality.So I was pleased to see that the enterprising young company Incrementum were bringing the great epic Don Carlos to Edinburgh. The story, perhaps better known from Verdis opera of the same name, is almost Greek tragedy. Carlos, the son of Philip II king of Spain, tells his friend and confidante Marquis de Posa that he is in love with his own mother- well, his step-mother to be precise, but Schiller is never one to miss a chance for a bit of melodrama. The situation is further complicated by the fact Carlos and Phillip dont like each other, and certainly dont trust each other. This potentially domestic tragedy is set, as with many of Shakespeares drama, against the huge backdrop of world affairs. Phillips armies are currently trying to crush rebellion in the Netherlands, and Posa wants Carlos to lead the rebels in a war against his father. So, things would have been a bit tense around the breakfast table.Posa, driven by his twin passions of love for Carlos and revolutionary zeal (he is an extraordinary prototype socialist) endeavours to get Carlos and the Queen together and save the Netherlands. Needless to say, this goes horribly wrong, but only after a series of bluffs and double bluffs, plots and lies that are bewildering in their twists and turns. This being tragedy, there is a death at the end, though not the one we might expect. The truly horrific ending is, however, far more sinister and chilling than mere death.The acting is pretty good, especially from Jack Holdens intelligent, love-sick Carlos. Anna Copsey is also strong in three roles, and Philip Scott brings the right degree of icy menace to the kings general, Duke Alva. Director Thomas Probert takes on the fantastic part of Posa himself, and is seriously underpowered. This mans passion and zeal drive the play, and Proberts performance is too understated both is his belief in democracy (Grant us freedom of thought!) and a love for Carlos that goes beyond friendship.This is not entirely Proberts fault, for the real villain of the piece here is the space. Its tiny, and one of the most un-actor-friendly stages I have ever seen. It is absolutely impossible to make any kind of entrance smoothly, let alone the dramatic, fast, energised entrances and exits demanded by this piece. All the actors are constrained by this, and would, I assume, feel silly declaiming and playing in the bravura style Schiller demands. Once there was room for a whole world in your expanded heart Posa rebukes the King Of Spain. The script is peppered with huge lines like this and they demanded to be given space both aesthetically and physically. Doing a play of this magnitude in a room this size is like putting on the Cup Final in someones back garden you might get all the players in but then what? And wheres the spectacle?The revival is timely, and the program rightly comments on how its a play about political duplicity, lobbying, lies, and regime change. But the program also comments that the only character name they have had to change is the one who has become Director of intelligence. In the original this is The Grand Inquisitor, that is the man who fronted arguably the most feared intelligence service of all, The Spanish Inquisition. In the plays final moments Philip catches his wife and Carlos about to elope together, and rather than flying into a rage, calmly delivers his own son into the Grand Inquisitors clutches with the simple phrase I have done my job, now you do yours. For that line to have had the impact it deserves the play needs a huger and grander presentation than this space affords.
