Tag Archives: William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

★★★★

Criterion Theatre

A Midsummer

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Criterion Theatre

Reviewed – 10th December 2019

★★★★

 

“If you need a boost, a good laugh and some quality theatre, get yourself along to enjoy this treat of a show.”

 

This production by the National Youth Theatre, in association with Knee High, is delightful. It was lovely to see and hear the energetic and talented young cast speaking Shakespeare as naturally as if they were out with their mates; different accents relished too.

The NYT says in the programme, ‘We are more than a theatre company. We put young people centre stage. We empower young people to be part of something BIGGER. We create amazing shows. We nurture tomorrow’s creatives …We celebrate the individuality and diversity of Britain’s youth in all it’s forms.’ In this production they showcased a wonderful ensemble who brought Shakespeare’s cherished comedy to vibrant life and kept the audience well entertained.

Bottom was played by Jemima Mayala with enormous energy and bubbling humour. She had us all in stitches, and she can really sing too. Ella Dacres gave us a contemporary teenage Puck, mischievous and cool and Bede Hodgkinson was a remarkably strong and mature Oberon, with more humanity in his fairy meddling that is often evident. Helena and Hermia, played by Jamie Foulks and Julia Kass were particularly fun in the famous row in the woods. It worked having a male Helena, and Foulks managed it without a trace of affectation. Billy Hinchliff’s Lysander was so changed by the fairy influence that he became a posturing, hilarious dandy, strutting and puffing out his chest, a bit like a bonobo on heat. It was brilliant. Every cast member, even those with smaller parts, was memorable; Jordan Ford Silver’s Wall and Joseph Payne’s Lion were lovely comedy gems, and Raj Singh made his little ‘moon’ shine brightly.

Director Matt Harrison has allowed his young cast to unleash their naturalness and enjoyment in this ageless text, giving it a contemporary, playful and relatable feel. The abridgement was accomplished by Kate Kennedy without losing any of the essential story or charm of the piece, and bringing it in at ninety minutes. The action is set in Athens on Sea, a playful imagining with a waltzer car, a fish and chip shop and balloons, a perfect setting for the action, which includes some punchy dance numbers, choreographed by Rebecca Cuthbertson and performed with sparkle and pzazz by the ensemble.

This was the first National Youth Theatre production that I have seen, and it won’t be the last. If you need a boost, a good laugh and some quality theatre, get yourself along to enjoy this treat of a show.

 

Reviewed by Katre

Photography by Helen Murray

 


A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Criterion Theatre until 17th January

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
The Comedy About a Bank Robbery | ★★★★★ | April 2018

 

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Much Ado About Nothing

★★★★

Wilton’s Music Hall

Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing

Wilton’s Music Hall

Reviewed – 13th November 2019

★★★★

 

“Reaching inventive new heights without pretension, this production feels fresh, striving to relate to its audience”

 

Love is a fickle old thing that can make a person crazy. It can drive wedges between friendships and cause chaos all around it. In an exciting new adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, presented by Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, such effects of love are all on display. Razor-sharp in delivery, this intelligent retelling is as joyously entertaining as it is thought-provoking.

A group of soldiers are on leave from war, and accept the invite of staying with Leonato, the Governor of Messina, and his family, for a few days. What ensues is a gush of mixed emotions as the heady concoction of civilian life, falling in and out of love, and trickery befalls on the party.

Director Elizabeth Freestone has done a tremendous job in finding some original ways of reimagining Much Ado, giving it fresh meaning. The use of filming from phones is an ingenious take on the original text. It firmly places the story in 2019, giving the play a chance to explore current issues such as fake news, online trolling and abuse through social media, which completely works. It makes the premise seem far more plausible for a 21st century audience, and proves that a 400-year old text still has relevance. The hilarious use of fancy dress (I won’t give away the costume theme) during the integral masked ball, is another moment of modernisation that Freestone has so brilliantly encompassed. Despite perhaps being used in other recent Shakespeare adaptations, the fancy dress concept is still clever and highly jubilant.

There’s an electric energy between Dorothea Myer-Bennett and Geoffrey Lumb as the conflicting lovers Beatrice and Benedick, both actors making the witty put downs towards one another fizz and crackle. Myer-Bennett in particular is on plucky form, doing complete justice to arguably Shakespeare’s best written female role. The whole cast should be applauded for really making the text their own, never shying away from originality or the unconventional, yet always making sure it is rooted in truth.

Freestone reveals that she aims for a 50/50 gender balance in her productions meaning gender-blind casting for some of the roles. Here, the melancholy meddler and villain of the show Don Jon, and the jobs-worth constable Dogberry have been given to female actors (Georgia Frost and Louise Mai Newberry) which fits naturally. As women are holding higher positions within the workplace and many more joining military forces, Freestone’s decision reflects this justly. Both actors revel in their parts, Frost bringing a jealous capriciousness, and Newberry an irresistible sass.

Music, as always with Shakespeare, plays a big part. Not only is it used in this production for transitions or decorative embellishment, but entwined within the story, utilised for comic effect and the like. Bethan Mary-James as likeable Margaret, the singer and waiting lady to Hero, is congenitally attached to a ukulele, who strums away to the annoyance or delight of the other characters.

Much Ado is heralded a comedy, but this recent offering from the Tobacco Factory really highlights the surprisingly darker, more tragic elements to the tale. Creating a much needed juxtaposition from the laughs and tomfoolery, the characters go on a believable roller coaster ride of emotions. Reaching inventive new heights without pretension, this production feels fresh, striving to relate to its audience.

 

Reviewed by Phoebe Cole

Photography by Mark Douet

 


Much Ado About Nothing

Wilton’s Music Hall until 23rd November

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
The Box of Delights | ★★★★ | December 2018
Dad’s Army Radio Hour | ★★★★ | January 2019
The Good, The Bad And The Fifty | ★★★★ | February 2019
The Pirates Of Penzance | ★★★★ | February 2019
The Shape Of the Pain | ★★★★★ | March 2019
The Talented Mr Ripley | ★★★★ | May 2019
The Sweet Science Of Bruising | ★★★★ | June 2019
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story | ★★★★★ | September 2019
This Is Not Right | ★★★★ | October 2019

 

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