The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) is a good choice by the Burn Bright Theatre to add to the celebrations of Shakespeare in this 400th year anniversary of Shakespeare. It pays homage with its own brand of hilarity and there is certainly space in all the cultural offerings for this lighter touch.
‘My Lord, Act Two!!’
‘Bless You!’
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) has a long and very fine pedigree. Having premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1987, the show transferred to the Criterion Theatre in the West End for a nine year run. It was written and performed for many years by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Windfield. After being staged in many parts of the world, it is now playing at the Bread and Roses Theatre with a fresh, talented cast.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) is not a scholarly exploration of the huge body of work by Shakespeare. It is a comic interpretation that shortens some plays and merges others to present the ideas. It is written to be appreciated by audiences with a broad range of previous exposure to the cannon.
The bright young cast of Danielle Winter, Joseph Emms and Chris Whotton are stepping into very big shoes and, last night, were almost up to the mark. At this stage of the season the individual performances are assured and the more complex sequences have been well rehearsed, slick and polished. It is in the linking scenes and less physical moments that a slight awkwardness creeps in. Realising it is as yet early days for this production, there is justifiable hope that the extraordinary demands made of them will be met to the full.
The three actors perform as themselves, taking many roles throughout the night. There is much interaction between the players and the audience and some brilliantly conceived audience participation that was joyfully embraced by all.
Audiences can expect to hear all of the most well known phrases in some form or other. The show begins with an introduction to the players, which at this performance lacked energy and finesse, making it seem superfluous. But then there was ‘All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players’ and the performance takes off.
From the first of the plays there is an exuberant treatment of the classics: Romeo and Juliet is very much abbreviated, Titus Andronicus becomes a cooking show and Othello a rap.
The sequence involving the merging of thirteen comedies into an amalgamated mash-up is a highlight, as is the treatment of the histories. They are staged as a very fast game of ‘pass the parcel’ with a crown as the prize. Emms has a wonderful moment as Richard 111 and all three actors execute the lightning quick scenes with great skill and charm.
After the first half of the show little is left uncovered. Coriolanus is rejected for the vulgarity of its name, and Hamlet proves frightening for its grandness of scale. Whotton runs off, with Emms in pursuit, leaving Winter to call interval whilst the cast regroup for Hamlet. It is one of the many pantomime moments of the evening and is delightful in its innocence. The second act treatment of Hamlet is a joy and provides a fitting conclusion with its ever shortening renditions.
The light and sound aspects of the production are all handled well and support the chaos on stage. Particularly pleasing is the direction of Katherine Timms, making good use of the limited space available.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) is a good choice by the Burn Bright Theatre to add to the celebrations of Shakespeare in this 400th year anniversary of Shakespeare. It pays homage with its own brand of hilarity and there is certainly space in all the cultural offerings for this lighter touch.