This is Shakespeare as you are most likely to have not seen it before! The script is essentially as you might know it (save for a few modern additions), the costuming is essentially modern dress (except for the Wild West-themed party scene) and staging is virtually non-existent apart from three benches (and occasional massage beds). There are next to no lighting effects and virtually no sound effects (with the notable exception of a helicopter). So what makes this Shakespeare unusual? The answer is the diversity!
This production took diversity to new levels. The cast was very ethnically diverse, although nothing unusual in that (in this case with almost every major region in the world represented!). The real diversity with this production is in the emphasis on disabilities, including a non-speaking female lead (conversing mainly through other actors using sign-language), an actor using a wheelchair for the majority of the performance, and an actor with a prosthetic leg. The refreshing aspect was that the diversity was not in this case a cynical way of manipulating the Arts Council into providing grant funding (a ploy seen all too often by many companies). Rather, it was a serious initiative by the theatre company Ramps On The Moon who aim to normalise the presence of deaf, disabled and neurodiverse people on and off stage. The play is a co-production with Sheffield Theatres, so there was a balance of disabled and non-disabled actors. As the play got underway, it soon became of no consequence who did or did not have any form of disability, which was surely the intention.
With the cast introducing themselves at the outset, the audience were soon drawn into the world of the characters. The problem, as with many Shakespeare productions of this style, was that with a large cast of around 20, all in modern dress and effectively no set, it is hard to keep on top of the various roles and social positions of each character. The general thrust of the story was not hard to follow, aided by a running screen of the dialogue but some more costuming to denote status and job functions would have helped.
A set-piece fairly early on in the production was a Wild West hoe-down scene complete with line-dancing and the odd musician. The large cast enabled a real sense of party atmosphere, which was pleasing to behold. Another scene which worked well was the health club where four members of the cast conversed whilst lying on tables as each received a massage. Almost all the remainder of the play relied on the power of the spoken word and liberal use of the three benches although the generous acting space was used to full advantage with considerable movement.
This was a very cohesive production with the entire cast giving a real sense of community. The direction by Robert Hastie ensured the mood kept moving from light to dark, with the ‘ado’ parts of the story being told with real drama and feeling, juxtaposed to the ‘nothing’ elements, including several comic scenes. A memorable example of the latter was an interrogation with the prisoners gagged with rubber ducks (which perhaps surprisingly did work!). The double-act of a pair of extremely camp impresarios was also very funny. This was also a case where distinctive costuming really worked, helping to define the roles of the characters in question.
Any issues in trying to follow the story closely were unrelated to any individual disabilities; rather a general need for more distinctive costuming and staging but this was a lively and enthusiastic production, resulting in a virtual standing ovation, having provided a lot of laughter throughout. An intriguing production and a useful object lesson in inclusivity.
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 13.9.22
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