Two Hours' Traffic

In many ways, Timon of Athens is a blisteringly direct play. Timon has much money and many people who delight in being their friend thanks to the constant gifts and patronage that Timon supplies. Timon loses their money and loses everything else, too. Timon rails against humanity, money, and the citizens of Athens until ultimately, they lose their life.  It's not a play known for a lot of nuance, and it's also not one concerned with the richness of human experience that Shakespeare generally prefers to treat in his plays. For Timon, and for Timon, it's a story largely about our worst selves.



So where do we find the light that makes us want to come to the theatre? For Simon Godwin's inaugural production as Artistic Director at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Timon is a fascinating choice. In some ways, it's a safe choice, as the production was originally produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and this particular version just a few months ago played (and was co-…