So – William Shakespeare…

With so much knowledge of his works, how can it be that we know so little of the man? For the layman, research throws up the same few nuggets of given understanding but very little more that might help us to discern the man who is universally acknowledged to be the consummate wordsmith.

Shakespeare’s characters reveal their hidden depths, their ambitions, hopes, fears, loves and losses – and maybe that’s what we too want to understand about the author himself, to put flesh on the bones of an enigma. Sadly, neither the original film or this play has been able to do that, offering instead a romp through a tapestry of the immortal words and phrases that are embedded in social constructs across time and space.

But what a romp it was!

A 30-strong cast was always going to bring a very special dynamic, and each one of them was having a blast.

The open set was shrouded in semi-darkness, with some identifiable scaffolding and some rich red hangings that teased the imagination as we waited for all to be revealed. The natural beams and the colour of the walls of the building itself seemed designed to enhance the set. As anticipated, the scaffolding enabled some really effective levels that were very well used throughout the story telling, with the fluidity of the hangings serving to create mood and movement. Despite scrutinising everything in front of me, I was actually surprised and delighted when I realised that a gold-clad actor had melted onto the set without me noticing – it can be the little things…

It can also be the big things: the wheeled balcony truck was brilliant and it didn’t matter at all that it got stuck going off – the action continued regardless! With a large cast in a small space there’s no room for very many props, and in this case less was more but carefully chosen to enhance the storytelling.

Wardrobe had made a fantastic job of all of the costumes and it would be too easy to simply highlight Queen Elizabeth in particular (it was indeed spectacular) but the same attention to detail had been paid for everyone. Visually very satisfying.

Sound enhanced all the critical moments: light energetic music to set the scene before opening, a storm, and some impressive fireworks. The underscoring of the water-taxi scene was lovely.

The lighting designer made the most of the opportunities with the storm and the fireworks but for me the thing that really worked was the water movement playing out above the water-taxi scene as it happened. My only concern was that at the close of the play the actor’s face wasn’t lit as well as one might have hoped.

We definitely needed and appreciated the obligatory dance scene and in the main it worked really well, using individual dancers to break through the couple’s arched hands. There’s always the danger that in using lyrical movement in a small space, patterns can become unclear but this didn’t detract from the overall effect, which was very pleasing.

The company – each actor was fully engaged, driving the action forward, demonstrating some excellent comic understanding and timing. It was a joyous whole, with each component working within it. Once I got my head around the impact of gender-blind casting upon a story of gender-specific casting, it all became irrelevant and the specific performances became the thing to appreciate.

Special appreciation for:

James Copeman who made a good Will, physically and facially fulfilling the expectations of the audience. His energy was indisputable, leaping and bounding through the piece, which is exactly what’s needed to maintain the dynamic. His vocal delivery was strong with good projection, although pronunciation wasn’t always consistent, sometimes sliding into modern delivery. Clearly a confident and accomplished kisser, some attention to other non-verbal (or non-osculatory!) communication would have enhanced his performance even more. This applied across all his interactions but particularly with regard to his moments with Viola (apart from the bed scene of course, when he was very vigorous!). He carried his role very well.

Lauren Ryan as Viola matched James’ energy and commitment, bringing a consistently strong core to all of her scenes.

Hope Eddy was a vibrant and forceful Kit Marlowe, bringing a warmth to the friendship with Will. Her performance was totally convincing.

Hannah Sayer played both her roles with such strength – she defied any questions about her characterisation, and her performance as Ned has stayed with me.

Tallan Cameron has to be recognised for his portrayal of Sam and of course for his bum – judging by the reaction around me, the audience very much appreciated the moment! 

Hugo Whatton as John Webster gave a performance that grew steadily throughout the piece and I was kept aware of his presence. His declaration of his name may have been a tad unstructured but enjoyable nonetheless.

Casting Queen Elizabeth can perhaps be one of the simplest decisions – once she’s in the clothes, with the ceruse and the wig sorted, sporting a ruff and a few pearls, even the least discerning audience member would be hard put not to recognise and accept the character. These were just the basics for Victoria Rive. An actress who embodies every role she plays, who could fail to be delighted by her supercilious condescension made human by the chewing of a tasty morsel and the declaration of a liking for a dog!  

The remaining ensemble were an excellent team, complementing each other and underpinning the action very well. It may appear that a general appreciation is worth less but the work was invaluable – seen and appreciated.

When adapting from the screen to the stage, inevitably there will be things that are not achievable by even the most skilful and committed team – resources are just not comparable. Director Laura Eddy had a clear vision of how she wanted to present this piece and it did work very well, providing a really entertaining evening that was much enjoyed by the almost capacity audience.

At the end of the day, delightful as this production was, for me, the play remains a litany of quotes and ideas looking for a period cozzie and a bit of a romp.