A strange animal, the theatre business. If this had been staged at the Young Vic, home of its director David Lan, it would probably have caused wild applause and remarks like: “I never knew Shakespeare could be so much fun.” At the staid old Wyndham’s, however, with a more sophisticated audience, I predict much tut-tutting and harrumphing from the “stop messing about with Shakespeare” school.
It is horses for courses, of course, but one cannot help admiring the production’s audacity. It is set, for no particular reason, in the France of the late forties, with charming songs composed by Tim Sutton, accompanied by a quartet of actor-musicians and a lady accordionist, adept at those lovely musette flourishes.
It also has some interesting casting. Sean Hughes is an effective Touchstone, Reece Shearsmith is a Jaques seemingly unafflicted by melancholia but a little on the tetchy side, Clive Rowe asks us to accept him as an elderly duke and, presumably as a special attraction, Sienna Miller, not noted for much except her ability to get her picture in the redtops, appears in the smallish role of Celia.
For an undemanding audience it all comes off surprisingly well, with charm as its main feature, and I would not knock it on many accounts. Helen McCrory, potentially one of the best of our younger leading players, seems none too happy in the role of Rosalind. Her make-up as Ganymede is too reminiscent of Parisian cabaret en travestie but Dominic West is fine as Orlando - handsome, virile and a potential James Bond, I would have thought. Not a great Shakespeare experience but a pleasant night out, faint praise though this may be.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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