Cyrano review: A show so good we wrote it a love poem
Posted on
Following a sold-out, five-star run in Stratford last year, Cyrano arrives at the Noël Coward Theatre with all the swagger, wit and heart that have made this production such a triumph. Martin Crimp's vibrant adaptation reimagines Edmond Rostand's classic tale of the brilliant swordsman and poet Cyrano de Bergerac (Adrian Lester), whose razor-sharp tongue conceals a deep insecurity that prevents him from declaring his love for Roxane (Susannah Fielding).
It's a production bursting with humour and linguistic dexterity, delighting in wordplay, poetry and verbal sparring. Adrian Lester is simply magnificent as he reprises the titular role, combining boastful bravura with rough-edged charm and a deeply protected tenderness. Enhancing the lyrical quality of the piece is a talented ensemble of onstage musicians, whose atmospheric accompaniment underscores Cyrano's speeches and lends a musical rhythm to the production's poetry.
Inspired by Cyrano's own impromptu acrostics and dazzling battles of words and wit, we penned Cyrano a love poem of our own:
**C**ommanding, charismatic, comic timing exemplary.
**Y**ellow-bellied yearning, a secret love confessed through a young soldier's lips, too embarrassed, too ashamed to whisper them himself
**R**azor-sharp, romantic, rueful with ridiculous rib-tickling rebuttals
**A**drian Lester is phenomenal. A delight. A magnetic force hard to look away from
**N**umber of words left unsaid, a poet loses his greatest weapon when he most needs it. Heartwrenching and heartbreaking.
**O**nstage musicians are a joy, soundtracking Cyrano’s lyrical prose and creating sound-effects to belittle others.
**I**nventive staging sees actors appear in the royal boxes, stalls, circle and upper circle. Making the 129 year old story feel fresh, immediate and exciting.
**S**usannah Fielding is radiant as Roxane, bringing warmth, wit and vulnerability to the role.
**A** masterclass in balancing comedy, romance and heartbreak.
**M**arvelous and magical
**U**nmissable
**S**tealing hearts as Christian, Levi Brown perfectly captures the charm and uncertainty of the young man hidden behind Cyrano's eloquence.
**T**ender beneath its swagger, terrific, a triumph.
**S**old-out success is easy to understand.
**E**very scene is electric, enchanting, epic, exhilarating, exquisite.
**E**ssential theatre. Don't miss it.
[Cyrano](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/cyrano-de-bergerac-tickets) plays at the [Noel Coward Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/noel-coward-theatre-london) until 5 September 2026