Image: Plymouth Theatre Royal
I have been to see a fair few Shakespeare's, but never this one. I had no idea what the story was going to be about, and I had even less idea of how funny it would be. It was a sell-out show, and my friends and I got last minute tickets sat far away from each other.
Propellor have created a masterpiece. It is funny, charming, entertaining and beautifully performed. I had tears of laughter rolling down my cheeks and I was taken into the world of fairies, pucks and Shakespear's typical love-triangles from the word go. Each and every actor played their roles to perfection and I felt honoured to have been a spectator of their performance.
The all-male cast which harks back to Shakespeare's own era played the female roles exquisitely, and I was particularly enamoured with Helena, whose graceful frame and stern face made for many wonderful moment of acting without the need for any words.
The scenery was simple yet effective, and the use of lighting modernised the play. The quick costume and character changes fluidly took you through the tale, and you could feel the power behind every line that sprung forth.
Of particular mention for me is Puck, who was elegant, graceful, naughty and delightful.
The only part I was not particularly overwhelmed by was the breaking of the fourth wall, which I don't think worked in this particular theatre due to the nature of the seating, but which I am sure would work a treat in a theatre in which the cast can run through the audience itself.
It ranged wildly from the ridiculous, to the rib-tickling to the touching and back again. I would highly recommend this performance for anyone who is sceptical about Shakespeare, and I will personally be looking out for Propeller again.
10/10
No comments:
Post a Comment