Review – The Tempest, RSC at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon Avon, 28th May 2026

Posted on May 29, 2026 by therealchrisparkle

©Johan Persson

The RSC’s new production of The Tempest is significant in more ways than one. Prospero is played by one of our most experienced Shakespearean actors Sir Kenneth Branagh; and the production is directed by the prodigious and highly respected Sir Richard Eyre, making his RSC debut at 83 years old. It’s no surprise that if you check the box office there isn’t a seat to be had for the entire run.

©Johan Persson

Probably Shakespeare’s swansong play, and his second shortest (only The Comedy of Errors has fewer lines), Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan and magician to boot, has escaped from his usurping brother with just his daughter Miranda and his precious books to a remote island where the only inhabitant is the “savage and deformed” slave, Caliban. He also has the services of the spirit Ariel to call upon when he wants to get things done. Scholars have argued over the centuries about the extent to which Prospero is Shakespeare, winding up his creative career and putting the finishing touches to his magic before a brave new world comes in and takes over. Sounds fair to me, and nothing in this production argues against that.

©Johan Persson

But such intellectual debate is of little concern in Eyre’s new production, which is all about the magic. The first couple of minutes make the production’s approach to the play crystal clear. Prospero, having borrowed the sorcerer’s cloak from Disney’s Fantasia, masterminds the action from his music stand as he conducts the magic that causes the famous opening shipwreck scene. It’s an outstanding start, combining the best of Bob Crowley’s set, Fotini Dimou’s costume design, Hugh Vanstone’s lighting and Nicola T Chang’s sound design.

©Johan Persson

One of this production’s strengths is its excellent storytelling – and that opening scene is a prime example. We can see that Prospero’s magic has caused the storm simply by using our eyes, so that when the text in the following scene actually explains that is the case, it’s confirming something we already know. This frees up that scene between Prospero and Miranda to reveal a comedy element that I’m not sure I was aware ever existed there before.

©Johan Persson

The sense of magic, as well as of a remote, maybe tropical island, is enhanced by Akintayo Akinbode’s and Stephen Warbeck’s evocative musical compositions, played with plaintive power by four musicians. It’s especially effective in its accompaniment to the appearances of Amara Okereke’s Ariel, an almost ever-present spirit who flies in, Peter Pan-like, and performs all her scenes mid-air. Ms Okereke has a glorious voice which makes Ariel’s songs both more meaningful and more beautiful. Ariel is bound to serve Prospero until he fulfils his promise to set her free; her moment of freedom comes when he finally releases her harness, enabling her to set foot on land.

©Johan Persson

Also bound to Prospero, but firmly earthed to ground, Ashley Zhangazha’s Caliban cuts far from the traditional presentation of the role, as a dignified, eloquent, finely voiced chap. The joke that Miranda falls for the first decent-looking young man she ever sees (Ferdinand) doesn’t really work if she’s been around this particular Caliban for any length of time. Maybe it’s just a status thing. When Caliban decides to plot with Stephano and Trinculo to rebel against Prospero, he doesn’t come across as an equal partner in their mischief; more their superior, which only enhances Stephano and Trinculo’s foolishness.

©Johan Persson

Ruby Stokes and Fred Woodley Evans are a superb pairing as Miranda and Ferdinand, who brighten up the stage whenever either of them comes on. Ms Stokes delightfully portrays Miranda’s innocence, albeit with the intent of not remaining innocent for much longer if she can help it. Her scenes with Kenneth Branagh are also a joy, revealing her unquenchable thirst for knowledge. As Ferdinand, Mr Evans nails that sense of slightly bumbling nobility, underpinning his inexperience, but willing to do right by all. He also brings an enjoyable naïve comedy to the role.

©Johan Persson

Elsewhere in the cast, Ashley Zhangazha impresses as this surprisingly urbane Caliban, Henry Pettigrew gives us an amusingly snide and sarcastic Sebastian, and Paul Jesson is every inch the honest and upright Gonzalo, a beacon of goodness amongst a bunch of reprobates. Keir Charles and Guy Henry have the difficult task of making those relatively tedious scenes with Stephano and Trinculo watchable, but Mr Henry in particular does a good job of making his character of Stephano believable, with, what felt like to me, subtle elements of Kenneth Williams and Larry Grayson in his portrayal.

©Johan Persson

But – let’s face it – the big attraction of this production in the return of Sir Kenneth Branagh to the RSC after three decades. Confession: I’ve only seen him on stage once before, when he was a 21-year-old unknown in Another Country at London’s Queen’s (now Sondheim) Theatre, and I was a 21-year-old postgraduate student researching theatre censorship. I knew at the time I was witnessing a very special performer, and if The Real Chrisparkle had existed at the time, I would have described him as One To Watch.

©Johan Persson

What makes him so good in general, and certainly this describes his Prospero in particular, is his ability to take someone else’s words and make them his own. He works his way through Shakespeare’s text making every line sound so natural, so understandable, so fluid. Constantly changing the pace of his narrative, he will rattle through one sentence and then slowly and deliberately pick out individual words in the next sentence to linger over and savour. When Prospero ultimately forgives all the villains who have done him ill in the past, it’s Branagh’s calmness that teaches you this is the way to heal your own heart of all its injuries and sadnesses. Maybe this really was Shakespeare making his final farewell.

©Johan Persson

At its best, this is a superb production with a masterful lead performance. Could it be better? Yes. It’s light on emotion, and surprisingly unadventurous in some technical elements. But who cares? It’s Branagh that you remember.

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Driftwood, Royal Shakespeare Company at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, 18th May 2026

Posted on May 19, 2026 by therealchrisparkle

©Marc Brenner

Martina Laird’s debut play is set in Trinidad, in 1956. British colonial rule was nearing its end as Eric Williams, founder of the People’s National Movement, started forging the path for Trinidad and Tobago to gain independence. Driftwood is set in a gentlemen’s club in the capital, Port of Spain, where Miss Pearl rules the roost together with her daughter Ruby. It’s their home, although the property actually belongs to Mansion, an aging British civil servant, who came to Trinidad in 1920 to arrange a Royal visit by Prince Edward; liked it and stayed on.

Shane David-Joseph, Ellen Thomas and Cat White

©Marc Brenner

Police officer Seldom is an irregular visitor to the club, a jokey blokey with a winning way who collects his money for turning a blind eye – or at least as much of it as Ruby thinks he deserves. This is a society where law is writ small and individuals set their own standards as to what they can get away with. No wonder that when Diamond, Pearl’s long-lost son, turns up unexpectedly, his aim is to carve himself a position within the household where he can take what he feels is his fair share of any freebies going. But is American naval officer Tom, whom he introduces to the club with the prospect of hospitality, drink, and taking Ruby to bed, the right person from whom to take a percentage of illicit proceeds?

©Marc Brenner

1956 was, as it was all over the world, a time of change, and Trinidad was a melting pot of influences. Laird delicately paints in character traits and background details, giving an insight into what life must have been like in Trinidad at that time. Many plot intrigues are touched upon, including a possible powerplay for ownership of the club once Mansion is no more, as well as a thoroughly incestuous moment between Diamond and Ruby. Such intrigues are both a strength and a weakness: a strength inasmuch as they fill out the play with hints of potentially fascinating unexplored backstory, and a weakness because, essentially, they are left dangling until they fizzle out.

©Marc Brenner

Much of the first act is slow exposition, and Driftwood takes a long time to get going properly. Justin Audibert’s direction adopts a slow pace; useful in one respect, as it gives the audience time to grow accustomed to the Trinidadian dialect spoken by the locals. However, it also means that the opening act feels very heavy and sluggish, with only occasional highlights such as the initial conversation between Diamond and Pearl, or when we first meet Tom. We go into the interval feeling that the concentration we have had to give the play hasn’t always been worth it, and it was notable how the audience applause at the interval was slight and muted. However, it comes much more to life after the interval, with an engaging second act that benefits from a stronger narrative.

©Marc Brenner

Essentially, the story boils down to Diamond’s deal with Tom and how, when Diamond doesn’t abide by the agreement, it affects the lives of everyone – primarily himself – when he ends up flying too close to the sun like Icarus. Despite his bravura and confidence, Diamond is revealed to be a small fish who has only just learned to swim in a very big sea.

©Marc Brenner

Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey has designed a very compact and intimate set, resulting in largely wasted areas Stage Right and Left, and is also positioned extremely highly, meaning anyone in the first few rows (and The Other Place is not a big theatre) has to look up a lot. However, she has created some fantastic costumes for the show – all Ruby’s dresses are perfect for every occasion and make a great contrast with Pearl’s dour outfits. Christella Litras’ music, ably performed unseen by Leroy Johnson and Todd Brand, is evocative and helps set the scene and mood.

©Marc Brenner

The performances are all very good and certainly help lift the play. Cat White is immensely watchable as Ruby, using her very expressive face to help us understand all the character’s emotions. Ellen Thomas’ Pearl is a superb portrayal of someone resigned to a life of pain and underachievement, a no-nonsense parent weary of her responsibilities. Martins Imhangbe creates an imposing figure on stage as Diamond, a chancer always on the lookout for an opportunity, surprisingly fragile in a world that’s more robust than he imagined.

©Marc Brenner

Roger Ringrose gives a very entertaining performance as Mansion, flaunting his white privilege and moneyed education, the kind of man who has never had any doubts about his life because why would he? Shane David-Joseph uses his natural comic ability to great effect as the shifty and quirky officer Seldom, and Ziggy Heath gives a lively performance as Tom, arrogantly manspreading, calling the shots, and giving no ground.

©Marc Brenner

On the upside, this is a well-acted production of a play set in a time and place that rarely gets any attention from British dramatists; consequently, much of the material and background feels fresh and new. On the downside, the play could do with some editing and tidying up, perhaps injecting a little more humour and pace. But, as a first play, Martina Laird shows great promise and may well become an emerging voice of the future. After it finishes its run at Stratford, Driftwood transfers to London’s Kiln Theatre from 4th June to 4th July 2026.

Three-sy Does It!

Review – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 21st April 2026

Posted on April 22, 2026 by therealchrisparkle

©Marc Brenner

Bertolt Brecht’s scathing satire on the rise of Hitler, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui was originally written in 1941, with an expected first production to take place in the United States. However, it was considered too politically sensitive for a producer to risk, and the play didn’t receive its premiere until 1958, two years after Brecht’s death, when it was produced in Stuttgart. The play remained relatively unknown in the UK until Leonard Rossiter played the role in 1967.

©Marc Brenner

Brecht’s Ui is seen as a small-time Chicago gangster, engineering a takeover of the city’s greengrocery trade by conning and terrorising the members of the Cauliflower Trust. Ui’s ambitions know no bounds, and before long he’s manipulating all of Chicago, and eventually has his target on the neighbouring city of Cicero – and probably beyond. In Stephen Sharkey’s new translation, not only is the resemblance of Ui to Hitler unmistakable, both in Mark Gatiss’ extraordinary physical characterisation and in his modus operandi, but an account of Hitler’s rise to power is told, factually and emotionlessly, by cast members as each scene concludes. Each of Brecht’s original fifteen scenes represents a true event in the rise of Nazi Germany between 1929 and 1938; and, much as Orwell did with Animal Farm, Brecht’s characters can easily be identified with their German Nazi originals. Ui is Hitler, Giri is Goering, Givola is Goebbels, Dogsborough Hindenburg, and so on.

©Marc Brenner

As there are now relatively few people who can remember the Second World War, let alone Germany in the 1930s, it’s worthwhile doing a history lesson to appreciate just how clever a satire Brecht’s play is. And in these perilous times, where far right populism is gaining a foothold all over the world – including here in the UK – Brecht’s salutary tale, or, in his words, parable play, feels more appropriate than ever. The last words of the text warn the audience: the bitch that bore him is in heat again. Nothing if not perspicacious, Brecht.

©Marc Brenner

Stephen Sharkey’s smart new translation keeps all the original characterisations and storylines, wisely avoiding a desire to update them, and maintains Brecht’s delicious balance between poetry and prose. The production also achieves the near-impossible task of preserving all Brecht’s trademark distancing effects, whilst still making the play flow naturally; aided in this by Georgia Lowe’s excellent and effective set. Having an LED banner on stage, proudly describing the show as part of the RSC’s current season from the start, instantly sets the tone of artificial theatricality and is the perfect backdrop for Mawaan Rizwan’s delightfully subversive opening introduction.

©Marc Brenner

Robbie Butler’s lighting design also enhances the theatricality, perhaps at its most audacious during the extended crowd massacre scene which then transforms magically into a floral display at Givola’s flower shop. Georgia Lowe’s costumes also help to define the characters, from the sharp-suited members of the Cauliflower Trust, Dockdaisy’s outrageous flamenco dress, Giri’s clown outfit, and of course Ui, who transforms slowly from a down-at-heel wretch in worn out clothes, to a functioning but tasteless suit and eventually to full Nazi uniform and regalia. Richie Hart’s four-piece band deliver Placebo’s music with style and expression, emphasising both the unease and the horror of what unfolds on stage.

©Marc Brenner

The cast are tremendous throughout. With only three of the actors taking on just one role, there is much doubling-up which emphasises the wide scope of the play whilst still keeping the storytelling crisp and clear. Kadiff Kirwan proves his incredible versatility, having been a suave and nifty Sky Masterson in Sheffield’s Guys and Dolls a few years ago, with a powerful and aggressive performance as Ui’s friend (does he really have friends?) Roma. L J Parkinson gives a great performance as the devious Givola, providing a subtly ruthless and unsettling presence on stage.

©Marc Brenner

The wonderful Janie Dee particularly excels in her portrayal of Betty Dullfeet, being the perfect “first lady” of Cicero who thinks she can hold her own against Ui but is duped and ends up with his emblem on her armband. You want to shout out Where’s Your Self-Respect! at her as she accepts her fate, and by implication the annexation of Austria. Mawaan Rizwan is hugely entertaining throughout as both the Barker and the slippery Giri, eerily collecting the hats of all the people he’s murdered, making the audience laugh at those things that we really shouldn’t find funny.

©Marc Brenner

The always reliable Christopher Godwin impresses as Dogsborough, caught up in his own corruption and regretting his actions when it’s too late – and provides a hilarious cameo as the pompous actor, teaching Ui how to sit, walk and present himself. Rebekah Hinds is also hilarious as the extravagant, back-chatting Dockdaisy, Amanda Wilkin gives a very convincing performance as Clark, Joe Alessi is the assertive Butcher and suspicious Dullfeet, and Mahesh Parmar gives us a delightfully childish Dogsborough’s son. But the entire cast and ensemble all turn in performances of great commitment and flair.

©Marc Brenner

It is, however, Mark Gatiss who dominates proceedings with his remarkable performance as Arturo Ui; a sinister, slimy, heartless, calculating portrayal of pure evil that rises from the mire and rules by fear and a warped charisma. Never played for comic effect, as it easily could be, perhaps his most gut-wrenching moment is when seducing Betty into believing him he licks her face – you could feel the audience shudder as one. It’s never an impersonation of Hitler, but Gatiss somehow merges himself with Hitler and Ui into one horribly believable and convincing villain. It’s a performance no one will forget in a hurry.

©Marc Brenner

85 years since it was written, Brecht’s extraordinary play continues to demonstrate the ease with which a society can fall under the spell of the evillest of minds. Ui walks among us. We can see him emerging; indeed, we may even already know his identity. It isn’t too late to resist, although one day it may be, which is the message of the production. Indeed, the production begs us, empowers us and orders us to resist – and it’s vital that we do. A superlative production, and one that is a privilege to have witnessed, it continues at Stratford’s Swan Theatre until 30^th May.

Five Alive, Let Theatre Thrive!

Review – Henry V, RSC at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 24th March 2026

Posted on March 25, 2026 by therealchrisparkle

O for a Muse of Fire is the traditional opening for Shakespeare’s Henry V, as the Chorus apologises to the audience for the writer’s and the production’s inevitable inadequacies at representing the vasty fields of France and the casques that did affright the air at Agincourt. But in RSC co-Artistic Director Tamara Harvey’s new production, it starts with a cheeky flashback to Act Four (not even Act Five) of Henry IV Part Two, which has been scissored and stitched together to reveal the seemingly late king lying in state whilst the new king Henry V tries his crown on for size, only for his father to wake from his slumber and shame his son for his impatience.

There’s no doubting it’s a good joke and it reveals how keen Henry V is to get on with it. But you can already tell this production is probably not for purists. Shakespeare structures the play around the Chorus for a good reason, as a conduit between the scenes, and playing with that structure has its perils. It’s Henry V himself who, for the most part, takes on the role of Chorus, whose lines integrate, again for the most part, nicely with what the king wants to say. Not always: it does, for example, sound clumsily arrogant for Henry to deliver the Chorus’ famous reference to a little touch of Harry in the night. The Chorus’ introduction to Act Two explains that the traitors Cambridge Scroop and Grey will be getting their come-uppance; by removing that speech the revelation of their treachery comes as an unexpected surprise which wrongfoots your understanding of what’s happened so far and feels disjointed. However, their punishment by hanging is splendidly done and is a surprisingly mesmerising piece of visual theatre.

That’s at the heart of what’s wrong with this production. Visually it’s very impactful, with an enormous amount of activity on stage, with specially recruited supernumeraries from local colleges and universities to give the impression of the large number of people it takes to wage a war. Their performance of Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster’s movement direction and Kate Waters’ fight direction is vividly and immaculately done, from preparing ropes and cloths on the revolving scaffold (a very smart set design by Lucy Osborne) to opposing armies going at it, hammer and tongs.

It’s all very watchable; however, it frequently detracts from the words that are being spoken and takes your attention away from the main matter of the text, sometimes devaluing it so that it interferes with your understanding of the play. The production sacrifices clarity for spectacle; and the one thing that you really want from a Shakespeare production is properly to understand what’s going on. It must be a deliberate directorial decision to make the English and French soldiers indistinguishable from each other, thereby making the point that they’re all human, they all endure suffering and, basically, they’re all the same. But that can be confusing for the audience – and it’s not true to Shakespeare’s own words. The victorious Henry reads out the numbers of French dead – 10,000 – versus the numbers of English dead – 25. If anything emphasises the inequality of the soldiers, it’s that.

Another element of the spectacle is the surreal slow-motion movement of the ensemble as they walk across the stage or lean at perilous angles in order to hear important conversations. It made me wonder, at what point does being stylised become being pretentious? This production doesn’t always manage to stay on the right side of that dividing line. For me, that powerful speech where the king reads the numbers of the dead was ruined by the over-dramatic death swoons of cast members; beautifully executed no doubt, but almost laughable in its pretentiousness.

In fact, for all its visual enaction of the horrors of war, the production remains totally – and perhaps figuratively – bloodless. None of the sword wounds or battle bombardments ever requires the props department to fetch the tomato sauce. And why do they end the first Act leaving the first word of the second Act – Now – hanging in the air as if Henry has accidentally mistimed his cue by twenty minutes? I fear that some of the content of this production is there just because they can rather than because there’s a good reason for it.

Nevertheless, there are some excellent staging choices. The otherwise bland “English lesson” scene where Princess Katherine – Natalie Kimmerling on brilliant form – learns the English words for parts of the body is transformed by having her walking among the fields of the wounded and jiggling their agonised limbs to learn the words for their various body parts. That’s probably the funniest (and maybe sickest) presentation of that scene for many a year.

Ewan Wardrop, Paul Hunter and Emmanuel Olusanya

The performances are largely extremely good, with some of the minor roles excelling; Jamie Ballard is superb throughout, as the self-important Archbishop of Canterbury, mildly foppish and manic but then devastated in grief King of France, and perhaps best of all, as the soldier Williams, whose frank and challenging battlefield conversation with the man who turns out to be King has significant consequences. Paul Hunter brings fantastic bombast and pomposity to the role of Pistol, picking and nicking his way among the dead; Ewan Wardrop and Emmanuel Olunsanya are also excellent as his partners in crime Nym and Bardolph, whose parts are sadly rather cut out of this production.

Catrin Aaron brings a simple practicality to the role of Queen Isabel and provides an early highlight in the play as a wonderful Mistress Quickly. Tanvi Virmani impresses as The Girl, the hanger-on who comes to realise there’s more to life than just revelry. There’s also excellent support from Valentine Hanson as a dignified Henry IV and Erpingham, Sam Parks as Westmoreland, Sarah Slimani as the no-nonsense herald Montjoy, and Diany Samba-Bandza as a flirtatious Lady Scroop. Michael Elcock’s Dauphin strangely lacks the quirkiness to make him stand out as a fop – the whole tennis balls gift scene is surprisingly underplayed – or the gravitas to make him a credible ruler-in-waiting. However, Micah Balfour is outstanding as the noble Exeter, perfect as both soldier and courtier.

Alfred Enoch plays the title role; he looks the part, he speaks with authority and grandeur and can deliver a stirring speech whilst making it sound natural rather than proclaimed, which is an enviable gift. There isn’t much sense of character development, however. Henry V has a lot to learn about life, having been largely a wastrel in his Prince Hal days, too much under the influence of Falstaff. He has to learn to be statesmanlike, to be an inspirational leader, to be ruthless in quashing opponents, to be a battlefield mastermind, to be magnanimous in victory – and also how to woo a lady. But Mr Enoch’s tone and delivery is pretty much straightforward and unwavering throughout, as if he’s trying to be all those things all the time. This one size fits all approach means that it largely succeeds but occasionally you’d like a little more nuance.

A solid and visually impactful production but it’s low on clarity and, unless you’re intimately well acquainted with the text, not always easy to follow. At the start, the Prologue tells us that we the audience have to work hard to use our imaginations to fill out the swelling scene because it’s beyond the actors’ ability; but then this busy production tries to do the very thing that Shakespeare tells us it can’t achieve, and Shakespeare was right all along. Henry V continues his reign at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 25^th April.

Three-sy Does It!

Review – The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 19th February 2026

Posted on February 20, 2026 by therealchrisparkle

©Tyler Fayose

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is the true story of the remarkable William Kamkwamba, who, as a schoolboy living in the poor, drought-stricken village of Wimbe in Malawi, created a windmill out of junk and scraps, thus bringing electricity and water to his community. His story first became known through his blog, then a book, then a film made by Chiwetel Ejiofor, and now it’s a musical, with book and lyrics by Richy Hughes and music and lyrics by Tim Sutton.

©Tyler Fayose

An inspiring tale about an inspiring young man; and who can resist a stirring story about succeeding against all the odds? His farmer father and his friends all think he is deluded to believe that he can achieve the impossible – but William’s determination and hard work pay off. But this is no simple, Cinderella-style rags to riches story. The toughness, indeed brutality, of the setting is never far away. As the drought kicks in, and food is scarce, William’s constant companion, the stray dog Khamba, dies of starvation. When the village Chief dares to question the methods of political leader Bakili Muluzi, he is beaten up for his pains.

©Tyler Fayose

And whilst William spends his time tinkering with old bits of machinery, developing the fascination for engineering that will eventually lead to success, his father is furious that, at the ripe old age of 13, he is not toiling the fields alongside him, harvesting the maize that will provide at least some form of income and food for the family. There’s a powerful scene where the farmers are working rigorously together on the fields whilst the boys get in their way, engrossed in understanding how a radio works; each set of characters antagonising the other with their opposing priorities. With hindsight, clearly William and his friends were on the right track – but hindsight is a wonderful thing and doesn’t put food on the table.

©Tyler Fayose

Frankie Bradshaw’s set shows Wimbe as an unremarkable village with basic accommodation, offset by a glorious sky. Traps open up from the stage floor to reveal the dry, dusty track of field at which William’s father Trywell relentlessly works. The costumes are evocative of rural Malawi, with a rather smart cloak for the Chief, and colourful but meagre clothing for the rest of the village – although I did think that some of those trainers were perhaps a little stylish and chic for the setting. The lighting, sound and video all combine to give a strong impression of the challenging weather conditions, with some very effective raindrop splashes on the surface of the stage.

©Tyler Fayose

The likeable, gifted cast belt out Tim Sutton’s tunes with true gusto, creating some tremendous harmonies and goosebump-inducing sequences, although 90% of it is delivered at supercharged fortissimo volume; there’s no denying it, this is, overall, a very loud show. With a couple of notable exceptions, the songs are, however, incidental to the narrative; undeniably, they add flavour and colour, but they halt the progress of the story rather than drive it forward. Also, given that the story deals with very serious issues – poverty, starvation, malaria, corruption to name but four – I found it surprising that some of the characterisations were pantomime-silly; very effectively done but detracting from the seriousness of the work.

©Tyler Fayose

The lead roles, however, are superbly well performed; McCallam Connell brings marvellous authority to the role of the Chief, making his untimely end even more impactful. Tsemaye Bob-Egbe and Owen Chaponda bring a delightful romance to the roles as Annie, William’s sister and Mr Kachigunda, his teacher, with William performing an engaging Go-Between role between the two of them. Idriss Kargbo brings an element of cheeky vanity to the role of Gilbert Mofat, William’s best friend, and Madeline Appiah is excellent as Agnes, his mother, determined to bring her children up in the modern style; her recovery from malaria is one of the show’s most heartwarming moments.

©Tyler Fayose

Alistair Nwachukwu is terrific as William, showing superb comic timing as well as a true feel for the emotions of the piece; an embodiment of quiet resilience and determination through thick and thin. For me, the stand-out performance is by Sifiso Mazibuko as William’s father Trywell, battered by contrasting needs and wishes, a traditional, honest fellow just trying to do his best. Sutton and Hughes give him the best song of the night, This I Know, a soaring ballad of epic proportions that wouldn’t be out of place in Les Mis.

©Tyler Fayose

Despite all these excellent elements, aspects of the show didn’t quite work for me. The staging is sometimes cluttered, even chaotic, with too many people on stage at the same time, especially in the big musical/dance numbers; and sometimes the ebullience and enthusiasm of what’s going on simply descends into what feels like an uncontrolled mess. Also, it’s way too long – three hours including the interval – and although it tells the story clearly, it also tells it very slowly! The slow pace strangely diminished the emotional aspect of the story and I found myself surprisingly unmoved by some of those moments clearly meant to give you a lump in the throat.

©Tyler Fayose

That said, the show does come to a triumphant conclusion with the assembly of the windmill and the switching-on of the lights, and it would be a hard-hearted person who didn’t share in the moment of victory as William and Trywell mount the steps up to the top of the windmill to partake in its glory. Certainly, Messrs Nwachukwu and Mazibuko were fighting back the emotions (not entirely successfully!) at the end. But maybe that’s because they knew that Mr Nwachukwu was to bring on the real-life William Kamkwamba to join them on stage for the final bows – and that was undoubtedly a moment to treasure.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind plays at the Swan Theatre until 28^th March, and then it transfers to the Soho Place in London from 25^th April to 18^th July.

Three-sy Does It!

Review – All is But Fantasy, Royal Shakespeare Company at the Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, 4th February 2026

Posted on February 5, 2026 by therealchrisparkle

©Marc Brenner

Arresting, challenging and innovative, Whitney White’s All is But Fantasy blasts the stage of the RSC’s Other Place like a subversive hurricane, tossing out ideas and insights as debris in its wake. Whitney White speaks with passion and conviction of her love for Shakespeare that started at an early age and has become unstoppable, and she is obviously thrilled to be performing her play at the heart of Shakespeare Country in Stratford-upon-Avon.

©Marc Brenner

It’s an ambitious project and it’s clear to see that Ms White herself is an ambitious person – and if that includes playing Richard III, sobeit. She’s certainly not content with being just the maid or playing one of the roles that inevitably gets cut. What disturbs her is that all Shakespeare’s strong women never seem to make it to Act Five. Their ambitions, their dreams, their potential, never get to full fruition – and Ms White says it’s time she did something about it.

©Marc Brenner

All is But Fantasy – that must be a quote from Shakespeare, no? Well, actually not quite. But Whitney White certainly had fantasy in mind when she created this two-part gig-theatre production, examining four of Shakespeare’s iconic characters from a fresh, new perspective. She takes the formidable Lady Macbeth, Emilia (from Othello), Juliet and Richard III out of their natural environment and places them centre stage in a rock gig. Actors playing instruments on stage is now commonplace, but the concept of placing them in a live concert is something else.

©Marc Brenner

But there’s much more to this than some kind of elaboration on Six. Accompanied by her protective posse of three witches – that’s how they’re described in the programme, don’t blame me – White delves deeper into who these women really are, what they represent, and the assumptions made about them over centuries of men being in charge, particularly in respect of the problems that black women additionally face when tackling Shakespeare’s works. For me, the most exciting aspect of the two productions is that they allow you – indeed encourage you – to question everything you know about Shakespeare’s work and characters. Who, for example, when asked is Othello a good play, would dare reply no? To be fair, at yesterday’s performance we all agreed that Othello is a good play, but it made me think again of those assumptions that have indoctrinated us through our English Literature lessons and the general received wisdom of the years.

©Marc Brenner

You could watch both plays in either order, but to get the deepest understanding of what’s going on, definitely start with Part One – Lady Macbeth and Emilia. Whitney White sets the informal tone right from the start, instantly breaking the fourth wall, introducing us to the other cast members, and explaining what has led her to this point. At times it feels like a Dramaturgy Group Therapy Session, with everyone chipping in their thoughts as to where the emphases should lie and which risks to take. There’s also a lightly suggested ongoing narrative about the relationships between the cast members as well as the parts they’re playing. It’s not quite at Kiss Me Kate levels, but it adds an entertaining side intrigue.

©Marc Brenner

The productions constantly reveal fresh insights into Shakespeare’s characters, not just those named in the titles of the four separate playlets. Iago making sexist and racist jokes is an outstandingly uncomfortable moment but gives us a terrific glimpse of what he would be like in the 21^st century. Juliette Crosbie sweeps on stage as Desdemona, her style, costume and confidence channelling full-on 1960s Marianne Faithfull. Whilst Whitney White finds it hard to get under the skin of Juliet, again needing Ms Crosbie to provide a shadow Juliet to use as a theatrical template, Daniel Krikler, the only man in the company, shows us how he learns what it is to become Romeo. When the gender roles are reversed in the final sequence, Richard III, what primarily comes across is that it doesn’t matter which gender plays which part, it’s the individual characterisations and motivations that count.

©Marc Brenner

Soutra Gilmour has wisely left a largely empty set for the actors, with the addition of simple but very effective elements to create context – a red carpet for Macbeth’s banquet, a coffin for Richard III, and a playground climbing frame to suggest both Juliet’s balcony and the playfulness of the youngsters who find themselves at the heart of that particular tragedy. Ryan Day’s lighting design is also simple but extremely effective in adding atmosphere and tension.

©Marc Brenner

It’s full of theatrical brilliance; a surprise gunshot at one point terrifies the life out of both the cast and the audience, Romeo betrays the thrill at getting close to Juliet by excitedly cavorting on her climbing frame, White’s supporting crowd surprise us when they turn on her for making it all about her, and there’s an unexpected disappointment for musician Nick Lee when Macbeth loses it at the banquet.

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And I haven’t mentioned the music! It’s more a play with music than a musical, but Tom Knowles and his band of four do a splendid job with not only White’s songs but also the frequently sinister incidental music that just hovers ominously in the background. The tunes are enjoyable and atmospheric, although the lyrics have a tendency towards being repetitious, occasionally hammering home their message without subtlety – but then, what do I know, I’m no rock expert.

©Marc Brenner

The cast are uniformly excellent – Renee Lamb, Georgina Onuorah, Timmika Ramsay, Juliette Crosbie and Daniel Krikler are a constant delight with all that attitude, humour, and the essential mix of strength and vulnerability that is at the core of humanity. Their vocals are outstanding and each lends their own power and individuality to every characterisation. And, at the heart of it all, Whitney White holds the whole show together with a must-see performance of voice, presence, integrity and sheer wow factor.

©Marc Brenner

Despite its best intentions – maybe even because of it – All is But Fantasy is an uneven piece, with the clarity and insights of Lady Macbeth and Emilia diminishing to the point where Richard III sometimes feels messy and hard to follow. Teeming with ideas, nevertheless, it leaves you teeming with ideas of your own, sparking your own debate about these characters and the relationship between Tudor/Jacobean Shakespeare and his 21st-century counterpart. A thrilling and endlessly surprising subversion of traditional Shakespearean opinions, performed with true heart and commitment.

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Roald Dahl’s The BFG, RSC at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 9th December 2025

Posted on December 10, 2025 by therealchrisparkle

©Marc Brenner

You’ve heard the phrase, the magic of theatre. Many productions aim for it, some get near it; few achieve it. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s new production of The BFG defines it. Suffice to say, there’s technical wizardry in abundance here, but that’s not what creates the magic alone; what this production has is heart, pure heart. It arises from the combination of all the elements that create this wonderful show, from director Daniel Evans’ vision, the seamless pairing of puppets and actors, the lighting, the sound, the video projection, the how did they do that elements when an actor seems to disappear and then reappear somewhere completely different; not to mention the remarkable characterisations, and the comedy, which genuinely provokes several massive guffaw moments.

©Marc Brenner

For some reason, I never encountered any of Roald Dahl’s children’s stories as a lad, and I only think of him in terms of Tales of the Unexpected. Before seeing the show, I therefore had no preconceptions of The BFG, I only expected him to be big, friendly, and… well you get the picture. Tom Wells’ adaptation introduces us to besties Sophie and Kimberley, in their beds at their orphanage, with different coping strategies about surviving the witching hour. When Sophie catches the eyes of the BFG looking through her window – and the BFG realises he has been sprung – he has no alternative but to kidnap her and take her back to Giant Country. But rather than this being the beginning of her end, they form a charming bond which leads on to an adventure where they survive a fight against the evilest of the giants, Bloodbottler, and engage the services of H. M. The Queen to capture these giant unwanted menaces to prevent human beans from being eaten. All in a day’s work.

©Marc Brenner

Stage puppetry has come a long way in recent years; it all started with War Horse. Thankfully The BFG hasn’t gone full AI in its approach to creating the illusion; it’s gone back to basics with teams of puppeteers who make their characters truly come to life in a most human way. And the faces of the puppets are truly outstanding in that they absolutely capture their characters’ attributes. I realised at one point that the eyes of the BFG puppet were staring straight into mine and – I kid you not – you could see into his soul; that’s how believable they are.

The other devilish trick this production has up its sleeve is that Sophie, the BFG and Bloodbottler are all represented by both puppets and actors, at the same time. This doubles the characterisations and makes the story come even more to life. In fact, there are three scales of puppetry/actor: massive giant puppet with child actor, adult actor with child puppet, and another scale where the giant is a small puppet, with the other adult characters smaller puppets and the child actors being represented by teeny tiny puppets – such playfulness works brilliantly.

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The BFG’s personal speciality is being a dream creator and controller, and the production’s visual representation of this is enchanting. Dreams whizz around the auditorium like speedy miniature comets, or they are born or captured in glass jars where colours whirl and lights pulsate. The BFG transmits a dream by blowing a huge trumpet at someone; the recipient is then bathed in light as the dream takes hold. I’ve often wondered how dreams catch on; now I know.

©Marc Brenner

This production relies heavily on its two child actors playing the parts of Sophie and Kimberley. No pressure, kids, but it’s a big ask. At our performance, Sophie was played by Ellemie Shivers and Kimberley by Maisy Lee, and they are both sensational. Young Ms Shivers in particular has both remarkable comic timing and an extraordinary insight into characterisation for someone so young. It is, appropriately, a dream of a performance. And Ms Lee also completely holds her own on a stage full of adults, neither of them ever putting a foot wrong with the most assured performances.

©Marc Brenner

John Leader’s BFG is another beguiling performance. From the fluidity of his movement to his superb vocal characterisation, he creates the kindliest, most thoughtful, and indeed most self-deprecatory giant you could ever imagine. Helena Lymbery is a delight as the Queen, positively itching to get herself away from the suppressive flunkies and get her teeth stuck into an adventure. There is a truly hilarious double-act from Philip Labey and Luke Sumner as Captains Smith and Frith, taking military stiff upper lips where they’ve never been before, treading a fantastic line between parody and credibility; Mr Sumner’s running joke about Frith’s vocal delivery has everyone in stitches. Richard Riddell’s grotesque Bloodbottler is the perfect baddie, and Sargon Yelda wins us over as Tibbs, the Queen’s butler undergoing a crise de confiance.

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And it goes without saying that all the puppeteers are extraordinarily gifted in the way they bring humanity to their characters. I was even engrossed by observing how carefully they made the smaller puppets walk; the accurate placing of heel, then arch, then ball of foot before launching off on the toe before the other heel comes down. Such attention to detail!

With its inventive helicopter scene and its (let’s not beat about the bush) farting conclusion, this is one of the best examples of children’s theatre I can remember. If you want to create theatregoers of the future, this is how you do it. The BFG is thrilling children – and adults – at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 7^th February and then has a month in Chichester before a run in Singapore. I can’t recommend this strongly enough.

Five Alive, Let Theatre Thrive!

Review – The Forsyte Saga, Parts One and Two, Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 5th December 2025

Posted on December 6, 2025 by therealchrisparkle

©Cam Harle

It’s impossible to underestimate the importance of The Forsyte Saga to the nation’s psyche in the 1960s. The Queen’s coronation aside, it was one of the first examples of event TV, when Britain stopped doing everything else to catch up with what Soames, Irene and Fleur would get up to next. One of my first television memories is a distinctly black-and-white Soames rushing back into the flames of Robin Hill to rescue his beloved paintings and not making it out alive. That and the Tingha and Tucker Club, naturally.

©Cam Harle

John Galsworthy’s evergreen Forsyte books – nine in total – were published between 1906 and 1933 and chronicle the lives of a ruthless family who knew only two things: the value of money and the importance of repressing one’s emotions. Anything that could jeopardise either of those two activities was to be eliminated from their lives. But people are only human, and they do have emotions, and money isn’t always available, so inevitably real life would permeate their walls and disrupt them.

©Cam Harle

Shaun McKenna and Lin Coghlan’s adaptation – originally for radio but now re-adapted for the stage – concentrates first on the beautiful Irene who cannot abide her husband Soames, and second on Fleur, the curious and independent daughter of Soames and his second wife Annette. And, of course, in Soames, Galsworthy created an extraordinary character – a true villain but with a multifaceted personality, answerable to nobody except his father, and who has to mask his human foibles in order to preserve that Forsyte resolute respectability.

©Cam Harle

The Man of Property, as the first book of the saga is named, cleverly plays on the double meaning of the word property, suggesting not only Soames’ desire to have a great house to live in, but also his need to acquire things – and more disastrously, people. Fleur acts as a narrator for both plays – although less so in the second play – as she picks her way through an understanding of what happened before her birth, and what elements have combined to make the adult Fleur who she is. Will she go on to become a Woman of Property?

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The late Victorian and Edwardian times are perhaps not seen today as the most intriguing eras of our history – certainly not in comparison to fifty or sixty years ago when TV’s The Forsyte Saga led into the likes of Upstairs Downstairs and The Duchess of Duke Street. However, Galsworthy’s characters and their stories examine the most timeless of themes: familial relationships, secrets and lies, honour and dishonour, and they will never become irrelevant. Soames’ rape of his wife is a pivotal act, not illegal at the time but totally barbaric and unforgivable. And, of course, a modern audience quite correctly condemns him outright for it, as indeed do many of his peers. Yet, in one respect, he’s merely obeying the advice of his father, whom we see as an irascible but rather likeable and funny old duffer. Curiously, we don’t condemn him in the same way. This is all part of the gripping story line that gives you so much to consider and assess, which is why you’re hooked throughout.

©Cam Harle

That said, there’s a definite imbalance in the two plays being performed together as a whole. Part One, Irene, is truly brilliant throughout. You can’t wait for each scene to develop as you find out more about all these fascinating people. And the play ends on a delicious sudden moment that makes you yearn to watch the second part instantly.

However, Part Two, Fleur, doesn’t quite have the same irresistible plot. We miss the rich tapestry of the bickering, repressed older generation – the Forsyte Exchange, as Fleur puts it; it’s replaced by fewer characters, and a simpler, more straightforward domestic love triangle story. It’s a credit to the production that it still holds our interest, but it’s simply not quite as absorbing. I guess one can only blame Galsworthy for that (and he’s long dead). It’s possible to see each play separately on a different day, or to immerse yourself in a Forsytian binge with Irene as a matinee and Fleur in the evening. Watching the plays in that chronological order makes much more sense; I think if you see Fleur first, some aspects simply won’t make sufficient sense or at least won’t resonate as well.

©Cam Harle

It’s a magnificent double-production; a first-rate cast, fantastic storytelling, a delightfully bare stage, save for a few chairs and occasional other props, quality costume design, elegant writing and effective direction. Luxuriously rich red curtains adorn the back of the stage for Irene, that both indicate the wealth of the family but also represent those secrets that are hidden when the curtains close. They’re removed for Fleur, to reveal the stark, featureless brick wall that not only represents Robin Hill but gives the sense of a terrifying exposure, with no hiding place. Alex Musgrave’s telling lighting design works most effectively in Irene, where it starkly delineates her private bedroom against which she locks her persistent husband.

©Cam Harle

The cast are uniformly superb, without the remotest weak link, creating a splendid ensemble. Flora Spencer-Longhurst controls the stage from the start as Fleur, combining her narrator role with a constantly growing understanding of her ancestors’ motivations and problems; a truly believable central character around which the entire five hours of theatre revolve. As her character becomes more mischievous and wilful, we still identify with her, despite her reckless decisions. Fiona Hampton absolutely captures Irene’s tragically unhappy marriage and completely inhabits the remarkable dignity that the character maintains throughout. It is a shame that there is comparatively little for the character to do as the second play moves to its conclusion.

©Cam Harle

There is much in the way of clever doubling-up of roles over the two plays. Jamie Wilkes is excellent as the outcast Jo Forsyte in the first play, subtly portraying his slowly growing affection for Irene; and as the honest and positive young Michael Mont, who marries Fleur. His physical comedy of trying to take Fleur on a boat ride is hilarious, and he delivers a terrific exchange with Soames about the “ownership” of women. Andy Rush, too, is superb as Bosinney, the sharply determined architect with whom Irene has an affair, and the sunny-dispositioned Jon Forsyte who becomes an irresistible possession to Fleur in the same way that Irene was to her father.

©Cam Harle

Michael Lumsden gives us a brilliant Old Jolyon – his death scene was genuinely moving – as well as some other entertaining characterisations, and Nigel Hastings is superb as James Forsyte, Soames’ father, as the kindly and earnest older Jo Forsyte, and the aggressively opinionated painter Harold Blade. Florence Roberts’ marvellously effervescent young June steals a wonderful scene when she leaves her indelible mark on the remaining members of the Forsyte Exchange; as well as giving us an emotionally powerful Anne – Jon’s increasingly alarmed wife – and an amusingly manipulative Annette.

©Cam Harle

The truly outstanding performance comes from Joseph Millson as Soames, totally embodying the character’s slimy, reptilian nature, constantly lurking as a malign presence in Irene’s life, opting to endanger Annette’s life in order to obtain his son, and generally observing how his understanding of human nature is becoming more outdated as life goes on. I’ve only seen Mr Millson perform comedy roles before, and he uses his fantastic comic timing to perfection in this otherwise non-comedic role, placing his words and movements with absolute precision to create a riveting characterisation that endures long after curtain down.

It’s a stunning production that frequently gave me Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby chills. It’s unfortunate that the sheer thrills of Part One don’t quite endure into Part Two, but it’s still more than good enough to recommend it without hesitation. A hugely entertaining double bill, and an excellent Christmas offering from the RSC.

Five Alive, Let Theatre Thrive!

Review – Cyrano de Bergerac, Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 7th October 2025

Posted on October 8, 2025 by therealchrisparkle

If there’s one thing that everyone knows about Cyrano de Bergerac, it’s that he was blessed with an enormous conk. There’s no other way of putting it; coquettishly disguised in the promotional image for the production on the programme and posters. It blights Cyrano’s life, despite his bravura and positivity, and always holds him back from telling his true feelings for fear of rejection and ridicule.

For a play that presents as a frothy comedy, Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, in this new adaptation by Simon Evans and Debris Stevenson, is packed with serious issues. Its essential message – one as old as time – is to be yourself; arguably none of the chief protagonists achieve this, and (spoiler alert) it doesn’t end happily for any of them. The play also stresses the significance of language; much as one may philosophise today that “the destination is not as important as the journey”, in CdB, the meaning of what you say is not as important as the way you say it. Roxane and Christian believe that they are in love with each other, but they need Cyrano to express it for them in his miraculously eloquent way. If it was left to Christian, all Roxane would hear is I Love You and it’s just not enough embellishment. Honestly, you can’t satisfy some people.

In a rewarding development from Anthony Burgess’ long-established translation of the play, in this production the sense of verse is much more modern and less intrusive. Rostand’s original 1897 play is written in verse and Burgess’ adaptation is heavy-handed and, frankly, overwhelming. Evans and Stevenson have created a much subtler format, creating a metrical language for each main character, but it’s only Cyrano’s lines that feel like verse, and they help to make the character stand out above the crowd.

They’ve made some sensible cuts to the original – probably they could have made more, as that first scene set in the theatre still has the ability to irritate with its total irrelevance to the rest of the play. The staging of that scene is bizarrely cumbersome. Not only do we all have to stand for the entrance of Comte de Guiche – I could see him pointedly waiting for me to get on my feet – three members of the audience are then required to vacate their seats, clutching coats, trying not to spill drinks or drop programmes, to reposition themselves at the side of the auditorium whilst the Comte’s party move into their prime position; only for the party to move out again and have the audience members return again – a frustratingly annoying sequence that constantly obstructed my view with people standing, heads bobbing, and all that shenanigans.

Overall, however, it’s a very satisfying modern reworking of the text; delightfully playful even in its darkest moments. There’s an ingenious updating of the acrostic fight scene between Cyrano and Valvert, although given the importance of words in the play, the occasional flinging around of the F word comes across as simply inappropriate or a cheap laugh at best. Still, cheap laughs are enjoyable.

Cyrano tells a running account that he meets death every so often, bows graciously to him, and then tells him to go away, which he obligingly does – until the end. Simon Evans has characterised this presence of death into a small boy, dressed as Cyrano and with his same magisterial nose, quietly observing him on the sidelines at pivotal moments. He’s a creepy presence, and the device works well, although I couldn’t quite understand why your death would be symbolised by you as a child.

Grace Smart and Joshie Harriette have worked together to create a sumptuous set with evocative lighting. When you enter the auditorium, you’re struck by the stagey red curtains and beautifully varnished floorboards, all bathed in darkly golden half-light. Later the curtains give way to present a floral courtyard, a battle scene, and eventually a rather overgrown garden of heavenly delights. In another unexpected joy, Cyrano, very amusingly, has his own house band who follow him wherever he goes. Like an ageing television personality keeping up his fading presence, it’s a brilliant idea, beautifully executed and with great incidental compositions by Alex Baranowski.

Most impressive about the entire production are the performances of all members of the cast, not one of whom puts a foot wrong or mis-stresses a syllable. Even the minor characters have their moments of brilliance, like Sunny Chung’s wordplay between rain and pain when Sister Claire is trying to comfort Roxane, or Caolan McCarthy’s Arnauld shouting out I’m a Christian! or Daniel Norford’s Louis’ confession that his shooting aim is useless. Chris Nayak gives a scene-stealing performance as the outrageously hammy actor Monfleury, and Greer Dale-Foulkes is superb as Abigail, constantly surprising everyone by her immediate attraction to handsome men and her extraordinary sexual history. Christian Patterson is excellent as cook/innkeeper Ragueneau, and there’s great support from Philip Cumbus as Le Bret and David Mildon as Carbon.

Scott Handy is a delightfully vain and aloof de Guiche, strutting arrogantly until real life and the levelling of war bring him down to earth. Levi Brown is very convincing as the fresh-faced but hopelessly inexpressive Christian, using his Brummie accent to perfection. Susannah Fielding gives a magnificent performance as Roxane, girlishly excited, full of daring, petulant when Christian cannot find the words she wants to hear and genuinely moving in the final scene.

Adrian Lester is fantastic as Cyrano, always maintaining a presence of nobility and eloquence, nimbly cavorting around in his stage combat scenes (the swordplay is stunning throughout), hugely vulnerable when he cannot open his heart; a truly dynamic and captivating performance of the highest quality. His imitating Christian’s Brummie accent to fool the listening Roxane is one of the funniest things I’ve seen and heard in ages.

It’s not a perfect production; the overlong first scene has some messy staging, and the battle scenes are difficult to follow. But they are very much compensated for by the performances, the emotions and the comedy highlights. The RSC are on to a winner here!

Production photos by Marc Brenner

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Royal Shakespeare Company at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, 30th August 2025

Posted on September 1, 2025 by therealchrisparkle

The Two Gentlemen of Verona never seems much of an attraction for theatre makers. In my fifty-five plus years of theatregoing, I’ve only seen it performed once before, in a 2011 highly modernised version where Valentine and Proteus were rock guitarists, and the director couldn’t decide whether to reveal the unseemly aspects of the play or just do it for laughs. Fast forward fourteen years to Joanna Bowman’s production of the play for the RSC, in another highly modernised version where all the actors are musicians and they deal with the unseemly aspects of the play by removing them completely.

That’s possibly just as well, as this (now closed) production was very much aimed at introducing young people to Shakespeare, with musical numbers, broad comedy and a real live dog. Already one of Shakespeare’s shortest plays, the cuts to the text brought the show in at just around an hour and half with no interval. On the face of it, it sounds like a decent experiment in modernising, shortening and adjusting the emphasis of the play to make it meaningful and entertaining to a family audience.

However, regrettably there was so much that was wrong with this production that it failed to spark any interest in the plot, and those 90 minutes or so felt interminably long. Basics first: the staging. The Other Place is a marvellous acting space that can be configured differently every time it’s used. For this production, it wasn’t so much performed in the round as in the square, and there were too many sequences where the actors simply had their backs to half the audience, and did not move around sufficiently to keep themselves properly visible to the whole auditorium. In addition, there was a huge metal walkway suspended over the acting space, linking two opposite corners, which allowed for actors to walk from one end to the other or indeed to suspend in the middle. This walkway was directly in front of the upstairs seats, so any actors who were performing at the far end of the stage were obscured; to be honest, it looked like they had their heads cut off. Not a great experience for the upstairs audience.

The main purpose of a theatre production must be to tell its story as clearly as possible. Sadly, I found this production very difficult to follow, certainly due in part to the machete that they’d taken to the original text. For example, it wasn’t until the final scene where the Duke pardons the outlaws that it was obvious that they were outlaws because he had banished them. There also seemed to be no explanation as to why Julia became Sebastian – it just sort of happened. The musical numbers came across as noisy and unclear – a very muddy reverberating sound that made the words difficult to hear, individual instruments doing solos could not be distinguished above the general noise; and two of the lead actors seemed to me to be overacting alarmingly. I don’t know if this was an attempt to make their words clearer to younger ears, but I’m afraid I found it rather hard to take them seriously.

They do say, never work with children or animals; nevertheless, here we had Lossi the lurcher, playing the role of Crab, Launce’s dog. I’m sure he’s a good dog and a lovely chap, but he added very little to the proceedings – there were a couple of instances where I think he was meant to do some kind of trick or endearing action, but he just sat there and looked bored. Maybe he took his cue from the audience, because sadly I found this a very dull production, with very little to entertain.

Of course, it wasn’t all bad. The scene where the Duke (Darrell Brockis) catches Valentine (Jonny Khan) hiding the rope ladder in order to rescue and escape with Silvia was very amusingly done, and the production gave us a fairly good understanding of the character of Proteus (Lance West) and his far from gentlemanly ways. But unfortunately, the good aspects weren’t enough to redeem this disappointing production.

Production photos by Helen Murray

Two Disappointing for More!