SOURCE: Bates, Catherine. “Commodity's Slaves.” Times Literary Supplement no. 5115 (13 April 2001): 21.

In the following review, Bates examines two productions of King John: Northern Broadsides' production co-directed by Conrad Nelson and Barrie Rutter, and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production directed by Gregory Doran. Bates finds that the Northern Broadsides' production forcefully refuted any pretensions of nationalism and reflected Shakespeare's refusal to choose sides in the play's conflicts. Bates praises the RSC production for Doran's ability to evoke from his actors a remarkable depth of characterization.

Rarely performed plays like King John, with their peaks of fashion and troughs of deep neglect, are truer barometers of the time than age-old favourites which never leave the stage. When such plays are revived, it is for a reason. The Victorians loved King John for its passion, especially the part of Constance, whose outraged defence of her son Arthur's claim to the throne...