Norman Bragg Studio @ The Waterside Aylesbury
Reviewed by Judith Watsham
*** stars “an excellent introduction.”
The performance of what is surely The Bard’s best-known tragedy was certainly not for Shakespearian buffs! Billed as- ‘three fools tackle Shakespeare’s epic love story with a box of tatty wigs, a floral dress and a burst air bed’ just about says it all.
BUT … Lee Hithersee, Thomas Galashan and Alex Macdonald worked in the vital lines from the original play, including the Prologue and Epilogue and spinning out some of the insults hurled by the two warring Houses whilst omitting many long speeches. The small audience loved it, including some young children who can now say that they have seen, and, more importantly, understood the story; they, in particular, gave the performance their rapt attention. Turning a two and a half hour long play into a one-hour performance without losing any of the important moments, as well as holding the audience’s attention throughout with no help from scenery, costumes, make up or props is a measure of this group’s thespian talents.
BUT … it must be remembered that Shakespeare had a habit of adhering to the old adage – ‘there is comedy in tragedy and tragedy in comedy’ – and somehow this unlikely production worked. In his day all the language and actions would have been fully understood by all his audiences, so to transform both in such a way that a modern audience felt the same was very clever.
My teenage companion, who loves the original, pronounced it excellent and very funny in parts – I suspect the parts involved Romeo’s attempt to rouse Juliet by pouring bottles of water over ‘her’.
The venue was ideal for the production as The Rubbish Shakespeare Company interacted with the audience from the moment the first of them arrived to take their seats – even adding to the numbers on stage by involving some in the scene where Romeo and Juliet meet.
The most important feeling I had on leaving the Theatre was that this production served as an excellent way of introducing Shakespeare to an audience who might otherwise have hesitated to book tickets.
Comments