(Un)Shakespearean Nightmares, Old Red Lion Theatre
Camden Fringe 2025 seems to grow every year, and this year that includes hosting shows at Old Red Lion Theatre. But not just that, because Old Red Lion will be hosting SHAKEFEST as part of this year’s festival, a celebration of all things Shakespeare. So it would be amiss of us not to include some SHAKEFEST shows within our July series of interviews to highlight the incredible array of shows coming your way from 28 July. You can find all our Camden Fringe interviews here.
One such show is Bianca Bradley Lewis‘ (Un)Shakespearean Nightmares, a show about breaking rules, causing havoc, and philosophy – and it’s a real barrel of laughs from start to finish as it asks whether characters are always bound to their writer, or can they escape their fates?
We caught up with Bianca to ask just why she wanted to give new life to some of Shakespeare’s lesser explored characters with her show that wil be playing between 15 and 17 August (tickets here).
What can audiences expect from the show?
Buckle up for a wild ride packed with laughs, chaos, and jaw-dropping twists! But behind the madness lies a story with heart. Meet forgotten characters of Shakespeare’s world as they’re finally stepping into the spotlight. After centuries of lingering in the shadows, mentioned, ignored and overlooked, these characters are thirsting for more. So, what happens when Guard 1 finally says, “Enough!”?
It’s bold. It’s ridiculous. It’s long overdue.
We’re not just joining Shakefest! We’re taking it by storm.
Is Camden Fringe going to be the show’s first time on stage, or have you already performed elsewhere?
Yes, we’re thrilled to be debuting our show at the Camden Fringe. You get to be part of the very beginning of our journey. We developed the idea of the show at the start of the New Year and were delighted to discover that The Old Red Lion is dedicating its festival programme to the Bard. Our piece just fit in perfectly. We have some big plans for what comes next, but for the moment our energy is going into making our show debut as bold, fun and unforgettable as possible.
What was your inspiration behind the show?
The idea began after drama school, where we found it oddly funny and a bit absurd to build rich, three dimensional characters for roles that only appear once or twice in a play. Shakespeare, in particular, is filled with these minor characters who barely get a line but seem to carry whole lives behind them. That raised the question: what if those characters weren’t just roles for actors, but real beings trapped in a kind of theatrical purgatory? How frustrating must it be to be endlessly mentioned but never truly seen?
How long have you been working on the play?
We’ve been working on the show since the end of April, and the most exciting part is that it’s a mix of written and devised work, shaped in the rehearsal room. It’s a living, breathing piece that’s grows every week.This spirit of freshness and spontaneity is what we aim to bring to the Camden Fringe.
Is this version how you originally envisioned it or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?
The beauty of our show is that it keeps growing and changes every rehearsal. We never want our piece to become a so called ‘finished product’ but a piece that keeps surprising us, even as actors. Unless The Globe picks it up, then forget what we said, we’ll do everything as the Globe Gods command.
What is it about your character that you most enjoy?
It’s so much fun to take such a respected and beloved historical figure and reinvent him in this flamboyant and tyrannical manner. It makes me wonder, what if Shakespeare was actually an asshole….
What brought you all together?
We’re all very silly people who happened to meet at the right place at the right time. The less poetic answer? We’re all out of work actors.
If you could perform this show anywhere in the world where would it be?
Stratford-Upon-Avon, at Shakespeare’s birth place. With a little luck, a full moon and a sprinkle of magic from the Three Witches we could summon him from beyond the grave and make him sit through his worst nightmare.
What is the weirdest or most unconventional prop used in your show?
Fake boobs… because it’s technically a one woman show.
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?
A friend is a superfan of Mike Alfreds’ Different Every Night, and he liked to sneak him into many conversations we’ve had. The idea that no two performances should ever be the same is kind of thrilling. Our show only runs for three days, but if they all feel identical, we’ve done something wrong.
Thanks to BIanca for the chat. (Un)Shakespearean Nightmares will play at Old Red Lion Theatre from Friday 15 to Sunday 17 August.
