THE TEMPEST

THE TEMPEST

at Shakespeare's Globe

30.04.13

Not the first Tempest to strike the Globe – the first had a great Caliban [Jasper Britton] and a sad disappointment for Prospero. Their next was clever, but confusing and not always magical. Third time lucky this year, I'd say, with a cast strong in depth and a clear, honest production by Jeremy Herrin.

Prospero is Roger Allam, who took this space by storm last season with his Falstaff, and seems equally at home, almost relaxed, on this magical island. Not much of a philosopher, perhaps, or a magus, but a wonderfully tender father to Jessie Buckley's wide-eyed Miranda. He brings some welcome wit to the role, too, and has already developed his own way of dealing with the ever-intrusive helicopters.

There is a bigger model boat, but mercifully little stage design, though the Globe's wooden O is echoed in a generous extension into the yard, and there's a long staircase up to a platform in front of the musicians' gallery. [Stephen Warbeck the composer this time.]

Caliban is another Globe favourite, James Garnon, wearing little more than body paint, but physically impressive, and able to still the packed house with The Isle is Full of Noises. Colin Morgan makes an ethereal Ariel, using the building for some spectacular parkour. And plenty of belly laughs for the groundlings thanks to Trevor Fox's Geordie Trinculo and Sam Cox's drunken butler.

But it is Allam's island, and his final staff-breaking farewell is masterly.

GORBODUC

GORBODUC

Read Not Dead at Inner Temple

28.04.13

"Gorboduc, king of Britain, divided his Realm in his lifetime to his Sons, Ferrex and Porrex. The Sons fell to division and dissention. The younger killed the elder. The Mother that more dearly loved the elder, for revenge killed the younger. The people moved with the Cruelty of the fact, rose in Rebellion and slew both father and mother. The Nobility assembled and most terribly destroyed the Rebels. And afterwards for want of Issue of the Prince whereby the Succession of the Crown became uncertain. They fell to Civil war in which both they and many of their Issues were slain, and the Land for a long time almost desolate and miserably wasted."

A unique event.

Norton and Sackville, both members Inner Temple, wrote their play for law students to perform, in their Great Hall, at Christmas 1561, in the presence of the Virgin Queen.

It was the first play in blank verse; it predates Shakespeare and his famous Globe.

Now, when almost nothing remains of London's playhouses, and the Inner Temple Hall, and its Victorian successor, are no more, the lawyers of today have revived the play, under the direction of Oliver Senton [Shakespeare's Globe].

The play itself is wordy, with most of the violent conflict safely offstage. Not unlike the courtroom rhetoric for which it was perhaps considered a ludic apprenticeship. The spirit of misrule which probably enlivened the original was best captured in the dumbshows, with actors and musicians, sometimes masked, charging around, snapping twigs and illustrating the action.

Some excellent performances, though, from Rebecca Todd, on loan from the Globe, as Philander, Nigel Pascoe, QC and playwright, as old Gorboduc, Iain Christie, barrister and professional actor, as Eubulus and Chorus, and Luka Krsljanin, Cambridge actor, as the younger son, Porrex.

THE COURT BEGGAR

THE COURT BEGGAR

Read Not Dead at Shakespeare's Globe

04.11.12

In the round, in the space at the top of the Sackler Studios, Bear Gardens, a "slight piece of mirth" probably first heard at the Cockpit, an indoor house, in 1640.

It's a satirical comedy, with plenty to say about theatre politics, court intrigue, financial scandals and "projectors", as well as the role of women, though Beeston's Boys – the probable troupe for the premiere – naturally boasted no actresses in its numbers.

All credit to Martin Hodgeson and his actors for making this often obscure text so entertaining in this very enjoyable rehearsed reading. Many familiar faces, as ever, with Ben Whitrow highly amusing as Sir Raphael, "an old Knight that talks much and would be thought wise", and Michael Cronin masterly as the Beggar of the title, Sir Andrew Mendicant. Shaun Prendergast made the most of the serving man Gabriel, very at ease with the role, the space and the text. Globe regulars included James Wallace as Sir Ferdinand, Daniel Abelson as a boy constantly on the run, and James Thorne as Mr Dainty. And Frances Marshall, memorable last year in Private Resistance, was a constant delight as Lady Strangelove, "a humorous widow, that loved to be courted".

An intriguing glimpse of theatre just after Shakespeare and just before the theatres closed, to re-open practically unrecognisable at the Restoration.

Just the sort of entertainment which would suit the new Indoor Jacobean space, round the corner in New Globe Walk …

ANNE BOLEYN

ANNE BOLEYN

Shakespeare's Globe tour at the Arts Theatre Cambridge

17.03.12

A huge touring company – fruitful collaboration between English Touring Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe – begins its travels at the Arts in Cambridge.

John Dove's première production of Howard Brenton's fascinating and intriguing piece survives very successfully the transfer to what must be one of the smallest stages of the tour. The Globe setting is evoked rather than replicated, with a single tree and a tiny musician's gallery.

One of the few scenes actually to benefit from the claustrophobic intimacy this allows was the moment when Anne is arrested, and is left alone amid an uncaring court.

Jo Herbert is a magnetic Anne, charming the audience, and her Henry, with her direct, flirtatious manner. Difficult to achieve the rapport with the house when darkness makes us invisible, but she succeeds, especially in her final farewell. Survivors from 2010 included Colin Hurley's woolly Wolsey, Michael Bertenshaw's solid Cecil, and James Garnon's amazing King James. And another chance to shudder at Julius d'Silva's Cromwell, career politician and ruthless schemer. A new Villiers in Michael Camp: an impressively honest performance, though the comic timing needs a few more previews to perfect.

It was good to chat with the players beforehand [another relic of the Globe original] – we learned that Lady Celia graduated from Fitzwilliam in 1997, and that "Steamy", though daunted by the old hands who arrived word perfect at the first rehearsal, was made welcome by a friendly company, and is hoping to see the show garner some five star reviews when it plays to the national critics in Brighton …

GOD OF SOHO

GOD OF SOHO

Shakespeare's Globe

18.09.11

“We are so shit ...” chorus the cast of Chris Hannan's new play, a less than impressive endpiece to an otherwise successful Globe season.

They're being hard on themselves; there's some pointless shouting, but in the main they do their best with a meandering, unfocused look at celebrity, the new divine.

I would particularly single out Will Manning as New God, and Richard Clews as a “mental” down-and-out.

Some felicitous poetical lines, and great music from the band [King Porter Stomp], but not enough to transcend a script that never really settles on a style or a theme.