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Tag Archives: William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Old Red Lion Theatre

William Shakespeare Directed by Grassroots Shakespeare London ★★★★  Pros: Say what you like about Shakespeare, but he knew how to write a play. Romeo is excellent and Juliet lends a bit of spice to a role that can be bland when performed with less skill. This production is energetic and entertaining. Cons: Not all performances were as strong as they might have been and the music was, at times, distracting. Our Verdict: When performed well, Romeo and Juliet is funny ...

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Cymbeline, The Space

William Shakespeare Directed by Nathalie Adlam ★★★ Pros: An atmospheric production. Fine performances that bring Shakespeare’s language to life. Cons: The complex plot is difficult to follow; the play’s disparate elements don’t cohere. Our Verdict: A valiant attempt at a problematic play. Courtesy of The Space I had never seen or read Cymbeline prior to attending this production by Les Foules Theatre. Yet, because the play features a mishmash of so many Shakespearian tropes, it felt familiar. There’s a love ...

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Killing Romeo, Lion and Unicorn Theatre

Written and directed by Jazz Martinez-Gamboa ★★★★ Pros: The plot stays with you; I love a play that doesn’t leave you alone and forces you to relive the experience. I still come up with new thoughts even a few days after seeing it. Cons: If you lose concentration for even a second the plot might be completely lost to you. It’s filled with subtleties that act as brush strokes to create a powerful picture. Our Verdict: I loved it. If ...

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Lear, Greenwich Theatre

William ShakespeareDirected by Ricky Dukes★★★ Pros: Flashes of real quality and originality in the staging. Cons: Certain aspects of the staging didn’t quite work. Our Verdict: A hit and miss production which was admirable in its risk-taking and ingenuity. It had a nice pace but fell flat on a few occasions. Courtesy of Greenwich theatre Like many of my contemporaries, I studied Lear for A-Level. I remember my English teacher would turn up to class seemingly drunk – shirt untucked, ...

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Hamlet’s Fool, The Cockpit

Written and performed by Peter Cutts Directed by Mandy Fox ★★★★ Pros: An exceptional all-round play designed for the stage with imagination, creativity and talent. Fascinates from start to finish. Cons: A rushed latter half and unnecessary musical interludes. Our Verdict: If you want to explain to anyone what’s so great about theatre, take them to this. A piece with plenty of thought invested in it that pays the audience dividends. Courtesy of The Cockpit There’s a saying about acting: ...

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The Tempest, Shakespeare’s Globe

William ShakespeareDirected by Jeremy Herrin★★★★ Pros: An event at the Globe is not just a performance – it is an experience! This is a wonderful story, with magic (and Merlin!) lots of action and humour performed by a fantastic cast. Cons: What’s not to like? Not the most comfortable three hours of theatre thanks to the wooden bench seats and legroom designed when people were a foot shorter, but do not let that put you off, its’ all part of a ...

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Hamlet, Dalstan Bunker (site-specific)

William Shakespeare  Directed by Andrew Shepherd ★★ Pros: Great idea, good choice of location.  Cons: No depth of character or context.  Our Verdict: A great idea, but sadly full of missed opportunities which needed no expensive resources, just better use of what was already there.  Courtesy of Stern Alarum Upon entering the darkness of a disused Dalstan bunker, the thick air, musty smell, the echoes and the cold are all pregnant with expectation, lending an eerie, claustrophobic lingering as you ...

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Othello, Lion and Unicorn Theatre

This production of Othello was previously reviewed by everything theatre during it’s short run at the White Bear Theatre. This second review was written independently of the first by a different member of our reviewing team. William Shakespeare Directed by Emily Morrison ★★★★ Pros: Using a small theatre space well, this production shows the depth of all the characters and adds more than a little extra to any other performance I have ever seen of Othello. Cons: One or two ...

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Othello, White Bear Theatre

William Shakespeare Directed by Emily Morrison ★★★★ Pros: Gorgeous costumes, inspired direction and world class acting. Cons: Not much to report here. A few of the actors didn’t quite hold my attention but this is only a minor dent in a truly dazzling show. Our Verdict: A stunning feat of wholly engaging entertainment with highly creative directing and two astonishing central performances. This came dangerously close to a 5 star review. Courtesy of Emanate Theatre Company Whoever calls the shots at the ...

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