Reimagined by Martin Crimp and presented by Artefact Theatre Company, this production of the classic 1897 Edmond Rostand classic has been touted as a “radical adaptation” by the publicity notes, so one comes expecting some hefty rewrites.

Will it be like a previous MTC offering, a gender bender, with the titular character played by a woman? Will it be set in our techo-slavish modern times with the love letters delivered via the pings of text messages?

Cyrano de Bergerac. Photo © Matthew Chen

Directed by Matthew Cox, this version’s immediate difference is its pared-back set: a central platform with the audience seated on two opposite sides. Elaborate period costume is also eschewed for a contemporary casual wardrobe. Perhaps the most radical change, however, is the language: it’s been modernised. Cyrano raps like a slam poet. This update thrillingly elevates the poetry of the original to a hip-hop street beat (with bonus sprinkled profanities). 

Indeed, its minimalist set and no frills costumes means fewer distractions on stage, all the better for the attention to be focused on the potency of words to cut through...