The revival of Peter Mottley’s forgotten plays unearths an intriguing insight into a Shakespearean classic.

East London Shakespeare Festival's Romeo & Juliet

A truly enchanting performance.

Shows the timelessness of Shakespeare in the context of #MeToo

Extremely enjoyable, accessible production.

Superb distillation of Shakespeare’s Roman tragedy

Pre show, I grabbed a flyer for Sh!tfaced Shakespeare. The early signs were not promising; according to said blurb the show features a cast of professional Shakespearian actors; each night one lucky victim is selected and carefully intoxicated for up to four hours prior to the show. The remaining sober cast members then have to navigate their way around the play with their drunken comrade in tow. The play was introduced by the compare, a blonde sequinned ringmaster who screamed ...

The hierarchy between Othello (Peace Oseyenum) and the sneaky network of unfaithfuls beneath him/her (although the actors are female, the characters are still their original gender) is set up around the stairs, at the outset of the play, which wouldn’t be possible in a usual theatre. So, from the first moment, we feel the long, dark tunnel stretching out above and beneath us. This is a place of no escape, and as Othello descends the stairs, you get the feeling ...

Shakespeare’s tale of deceit and malice is not an easy one to stage. Even with an interesting re-contextualisation set in the British Raj in 1919, the production at the Union Theatre fails to fully own this mammoth play.  The ‘green-eyed monster’ and the quintessential Machiavellian baddie Iago provide enough juice, drama, and betrayal to make a real meal out of. But to enjoy a meal one needs cutlery (bear with me on this metaphor), and that would be the actors. ...

A fresh, energetic and funny adaptation of a well known Shakespeare favourite. Lives up to the claim of being an accessible introduction, if by chance you haven’t seen it before.