Cyrano de Bergerac Review at Noel Coward Theatre London

The Royal Shakespeare Company has presented such brilliant recent seasons at their home in Stratford-upon-Avon, so it’s a treat when they are able to bring some of their productions to the West End. Cyrano de Bergerac comes to the Noel Coward Theatre for a limited summer season, and I was excited to see what made this version such a sell-out hit at the RSC.

This modern English and verse adaptation of a classic presents a wonderful opportunity to lose yourself in a piece of theatre. Undoubtedly, this is a great comedy, still popular more than a century after the original French play of 1897, and this production leans into the sheer theatricality of the story and its hero. But is there something more for modern audiences to connect with? Through the beautiful costumes designed by Grace Smart, which are at once period and modern, we may well recognise a modern story about our deepest insecurities, our feeling of not being enough and our quest to be understood and loved. It’s contemporary psychology gift-wrapped in French comedy.

Olivier Award-winner Adrian Lester leads the company with a magnificent performance that is full of wit and daring; his command of the poetry is always perfectly timed and beautiful to the ear.

Susannah Fielding as Roxanne displays an extraordinary range, carefully carrying her character from her girlish reminiscences through to the deepest heartbreak. She makes every moment memorable from her simple entrance having been caught in the rain, through to the greater emotions of outrage, love and despair.

Levi Brown as the soldier Christian delivers an earnest performance, providing a wonderful counterpoint to Lester’s Cyrano. He is utterly believable in both foolishness and sincerity.

Both Cyrano and Christian fall for the same woman, but both are plagued by different insecurities, which are highlighted in this new adaptation by director Simon Evans and co-adaptor Debris Stevenson. They take Edmond Rostand’s classic and, through a combination of rhyming couplets and modern English, succeed in making this tale feel fresh while honouring the original material. The text is quick-witted, sharp-tongued and big-hearted. Evans utilises the full theatre in staging the play to draw the audience into the action, so we feel the theatricality of the event. He is adept at moving the play swiftly from comedy to tragedy and back again with a cohesiveness that doesn’t let any of the great contrasts feel out of place. Every scene is infused with energy and the entire cast create deft portrayals of their characters.

Grace Smart’s set places the performance very much in a theatre, and her design is just as poetic as befits the play, with beautiful imagery that unfolds and links scene to scene. The treatment of the acorn I found very special indeed.

Outstanding fight choreography by Bethan Clark delivers both danger and humour in an array of impressively executed sequences, especially Lester’s impressive acrostic poem, which also showcases his physicality and demands no less than 17 bouts, one for each line.

The whole drama is beautifully scored by composer Alex Baranowski, with a live ensemble of 6 actor-musicians who add a lot of life as well as musicality.

The play provides a philosophical and poetic picture of death, beautifully portrayed in this production, with a powerful resonance. I wasn’t expecting something so profound amidst the comedy, and this balance truly makes Cyrano a marvellous night at the theatre.

Cyrano de Bergerac plays at the Noel Coward Theatre until 5 September 2026.

Where I Sat

I sat in the Royal Circle C23 at the Noel Coward Theatre for this performance. This seat offers an excellent and clear view of the entire stage. Although the legroom is limited, as in most older theatres across the West End, it was very comfortable and ample for me.

Have You Seen Cyrano de Bergerac?

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Reviewed by Patrick Jeremyfor SeatPlan, June 2026