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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 6 december 2018

Ralph Fiennes, Sophie Okonedo spar in 'Antony and Cleopatra'

By JILL LAWLESS "Hotel Rwanda" star Okone-
Associated Press do, and he praises her "raw-
LONDON (AP) — "Antony ness" and emotional range
and Cleopatra," currently as the besotted queen.
running at London's Na- Cleopatra is the play's
tional Theatre, has tragic glamour part, Antony a
romance, two top-flight more muted starring role.
actors and a live snake. No Reviewers have called
wonder it's a hit. Okonedo fiery, funny, regal
Sophie Okonedo and Ralph and playful, while Fiennes
Fiennes play the lovers sun- has been praised for play-
dered by war and empire in ing Antony as a "creaky"
William Shakespeare's trag- figure in "tragic decline."
edy, which is being broad- His Antony is a hedonistic
cast live to movie theaters hero — repeatedly drawn
in Britain and internationally back from duty in Rome to
on Thursday as part of the Cleopatra's lush Alexandri-
NT Live series. an retreat — who is reluc-
Okonedo and Fiennes tant to admit that his best
won acting trophies at days are behind him.
last month's Evening Stan- "He's a man who's trying
dard Theatre Awards for not to be past his peak,"
the roles, immortalized on- Fiennes said. "You feel he's
screen by Elizabeth Taylor In this undated photo released by The National Theatre, a scene from the London National someone who is letting
and Richard Burton, and Theatre production of Antony & Cleopatra starring Ralph Finnes, top, and Sophie Okonedo, himself go in Egypt. Enjoy-
starring as the lovers rocked by war and empire.
memorably played on- Associated Press ing himself, but he's let his
stage in the 1980s by An- responsibilities go."
thony Hopkins and Judi ship," Fiennes told The As- He says the play's power mood swings, and I think The play's climax — Cleopa-
Dench. sociated Press. "They're not comes from the combina- that combination is very tra's suicide by asp — is
Fiennes says one reason young lovers. They're ma- tion of Shakespeare's "po- moving to people." staged with a real snake.
the play endures is that the ture. They've both got bag- etic, epic" language and The production reunites Fi- Fiennes says cast and crew
characters of the Roman gage." "two very fallible people." ennes with director Simon ensure that the reptiles —
military hero and the Egyp- Fiennes is an old hand at "He's not an idealized war- Godwin, who directed him there are four who alter-
tian queen are — strange Shakespeare who won a rior and she's not an ideal- in George Bernard Shaw's nate in the role — are "very
as it seems — so relatable. Tony Award for playing ized princess," the actor "Man and Superman" at the well looked after."q
"We can relate to the "Hamlet" and directed a said. "They're full of temper- National Theatre in 2015.
messiness of the relation- film version of "Coriolanus." ament and tantrums and It's his first time working with

Karl Lagerfeld brings Chanel to ancient Egypt, at Met show

By JOCELYN NOVECK and Lily-Rose Depp, come- a few whoops from the the runway, as models rings. There was also some
Associated Press dian Jerry Seinfeld, and di- crowd, the singer wore a strolled past the floodlit distressed denim, and
An air of ancient Egyptian rector Sofia Coppola. very Egyptian-looking gold temple in everything from definitely some tweed, but
luxury ruled the night as A celebrity even walked mesh top adorned with gold thigh-high boots to shiny gold was the order of
Chanel designer Karl La- the runway: Pharrell Wil- designs resembling a wide, gold brimmed hats to glis- the day.
gerfeld brought his travel- liams, who recently an- jeweled Egyptian neck- tening dresses with golden One particularly stunning
ing fashion show to New nounced a collaboration lace, and shiny gold pants. feather adornments, to shoulderless gown looked
York and its famous Temple with Chanel. Arriving to Gold shimmered all over shoulder-length gold ear- like an Egyptian mosaic,
of Dendur at the Metropol- with interlocking "tiles" in
itan Museum of Art. the Egyptian color palette
Lagerfeld chose the venue of light and dark blues, red,
for his 17th annual "Metiers and of course, gold.
d'Art" show, which takes The handiwork involved
place in a different city in the garments was dis-
each year and celebrates played in brief videos
the craftsmanship of the posted by Chanel on Insta-
artisans that partner with gram ahead of the show,
Chanel. from artisans' ateliers, or
The imposing temple, com- workshops: metalwork and
pleted in about 10 B.C., is jewelry-making from Go-
a highlight of the Met's col- ossens, pleating from Lo-
lection and a favorite site gnon, feather and flower
of the museum's annual adornments from Lema-
spring fashion gala. In- rie, embroidery from Mon-
deed, the Chanel show felt tex, costume jewelry from
like a mini-Met Gala with Desrues, embroidery and
celebrity guests including tweed from Lesage, Mas-
actresses Penelope Cruz, Models walk the runway at the Chanel Metiers d'Art 2018/19 Show at the Metropolitan Museum saro shoes, and golden
Julianne Moore, Margot of Art on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in New York. Maison Michel hats.q
Robbie, Marion Cotillard Associated Press