Shakespeare Country

The play is set on Midsummer’s Eve in modern day Stratford-on-Avon over a period of twenty four hours. An American country and western singer, Billy Shake, arrives in Stratford to authenticate his claim that he is the true descendant of William Shakespeare. He has gambled away all his money en route and relies on the good nature of others to help him locate Shakespeare’s famed oak tree and the proof he seeks. These include two Royal Shakespeare Company actors who are to be married the following day but are harbouring doubts, a Japanese business man from a pharmaceutical company test-marketing a new ‘feel-good’ tablet, a New Age traveller and many other odd and unusual characters. The tablets mischievously end up in the wrong hands thus the scene is set for confusion and mistaken identities. The group usually perform on a ‘traditional’stage in a small village hall but it was decided to make the audience more involved by having them on three sides of the performance area thus enabling the actors to make use of the aisles as well as the stage. This worked extremely well, infact, I feel that with eleven main characters, who at times were all involved in the action, it would have been very problematic to have done justice to the play by only using the small stage.  All the cast members gave very creditable performances. I especially enjoyed Mike Asprey as the Japanese business man, Koichi Bando, John Freeman as Billy Shake and Jenny Cooper as Webbo the New Age Traveller, her facial expressions and mannerisms were sublime. The play has a great deal of humour and corny lines - I loved the explanation by Billy as to why his name was Billy Shake! We were also treated to some very pleasing and well delivered musical refrains. The simple sets, appropriate costumes, good lighting and sound effects all complemented the fine acting of the cast members making for a very entertaining evening. Well done to all involved.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.