LUXURY jeweller, Tiffany & Co will be able to expand globally and offset the subdued demand in the US and Europe by leveraging Reliance’s longstanding brand presence and product positioning, analysis from GlobalData showed.
The US-based Tiffany & Co, known for its diamond engagement rings and robin's egg blue boxes, has been trying to foray into the Indian market for a long time.
As part of its efforts to enter the Indian market, Tiffany & Co is forming a joint venture with India's Reliance Brands Limited (RBL), a part of the Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) or Reliance, to open a line of stores in the country.
Shagun Sachdeva, Consumer Insights Analyst at GlobalData said: “India is the fastest-growing luxury market in the Asia-Pacific region and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 14.2 per cent during 2017 to 2022 to reach $7 billion in 2022.
“The projected healthy growth can be attributed to the positive economic outlook, growing younger upper-middle-class population coupled with growing brand-consciousness, and the increasing popularity of the online channel for luxury shopping.”
After the deployment of omnichannel model and the introduction of the iconic British toy retailer Hamleys in India earlier this year, the latest move by Reliance to open Tiffany stores in Delhi later this year and in Mumbai in 2020 through a joint venture is in line with its strategy to bring the best-in-class products to the emerging Indian luxury market. It provides a unique opportunity for Reliance to bolster its consumer-focused units, retail and telecoms, to match the strength of its leading oil and gas business, Sachdeva concluded.
Adrian Lester, best known for his work on television and film, returns to the stage in the eponymous role of Edmond Rostand's 1898 comedy, Cyrano de Bergerac.
Rostland’s play centres around Cyrano - a little-known romantic 17th century French libertine poet, soldier, and philosopher. The play is based partly on his letters written on behalf of love rival Christian de Neuvillette as he tries to charm Cyrano’s cousin, Roxanne with whom Cyrano is also in love.
Cyrano is cursed with an overt self-consciousness in the form of a large nose. His insecurity is such that he prohibits anyone to refer to it directly or indirectly. Together with his wit, his skills as a swordsman, and the directorial splattering of our own vernacular, they provide the play with a certain infectious - albeit teenage - humour.
Despite Cyrano unexpressed love for Roxanne, the latter has fallen for Christian who is handsome, but useless when it comes to expressing his feelings in words. But then, he is also useless as a swordsman and clearly no match for Cyrano’s mastery and maturity. Realising this and being utterly selfless, Cyrano offers his help to the youthful Christian to woo Roxanne by writing for him poetic and hyperbolic proclamations of love and longing. All he wants is Roxanne to be happy even if he himself has to do with nursing a broken heart.
Christian Patterson and Levi BrownMarc Brenner
The result is a farce of the highest order and mistaken identity, coupled with threat and violence
This RSC production is directed by Simon Evans who has provided a very lively and engaging interpretation by all accounts. Apart from a skilled, highly polished ensemble of cast, there’s interesting theatricality at work. Every now and then, for instance, one gets a sense that the stage is a reflection of our own world and vice versa. Characters mingle with the audience, they break the fourth wall, and the theatre band wander around with the characters and referred to with some bemusement and fun.
In a 17th century French world – not unlike our own, 21st century – external beauty, speech, language are prized. Expression has become almost secondary. It’s a world in which fakery, deception and lies are paced above sincerity, honesty, and truth. Looks and external beauty outweigh the inner beauty of man.
Evans removes the original piece from its French setting to England, littering it with a Brummie accent, and accentuating our preconceptions about hopeless romantics and those with meaningless verbiage. The effect is one of joyous atmosphere and true entertainment.
Adrian Lester provides a magnificent performance as the wordsmith, Cyrano. His character is verbose, comedic, and sympathetic in equal measures. Lester is enticing, hilarious and – judging by the reaction of the audience –appreciated as a versatile actor who can do comedy just as well as drama. Levi Brown’s Christian is a fiery - overtly hopeless - romantic who cannot paint his feelings into words. Brown gives a very energetic and magnetic performance. Similarly, Susannah Fielding provides a sprightly Roxanne who is heart-warming and an utter pleasure to watch.
Adrian Lester (front right) and companyMarc Brenner
It’s hard not to notice but as an audience, we are invited to consider the value of language that may sound romantic, but may – in actual fact – be little more than a shallow expression of fancy. Whereas, the seemingly absence of language – though painfully inadequate - may actually embody real sincerity and the true meaning of love.
Whatever you may think, one thing is certain: you will enjoy this production. It’s a real treat.
The play started at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in early September, with its run lasting until 15th November.
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
(Cyrano de Bergerac is playing at the RSC Stratford until 15th November 2025.)
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