Shakespeare in Love

Shakespeare in Love

Bebington Dramatic Society

Gladstone Theatre

4/3/26

Young Will Shakespeare has writer’s block. The deadline for his new play is fast approaching, yet inspiration refuses to come. That is, until he meets his muse  the feisty, brilliant and beautiful Viola. Against a lively backdrop of mistaken identities, backstage rivalries and Elizabethan theatrics, their romance inspires what will ultimately become Shakespeare’s greatest love story.

Will (Josh Wood) has accepted a commission from theatre owner Henslowe (Marie Williams) of The Rose Theatre, who demands a play about a pirate and his daughter titled Romeo and the Pirate’s Daughter. At the same time, Will has also taken a commission from celebrated actor Richard Burbage (Barry Prescott) for the same scipt. With the watchful eye of producer and financier Hugh Fennyman (Trevor Butlin)  every expense & every decision is scrutinised. With all this pressure Will’s writer’s block becomes increasingly problematic.

Meanwhile, across town, a rival theatre company is performing Will’s’ The Two Gentlemen of Verona’, starring the famous Ned Alleyn (Rosabelle Bennett), who has even added a dog to the production: all without Shakespeare’s permission. Enter Viola De Lesseps (Gemma Dykes), a spirited young woman with a deep love for Shakespeare’s work and an even deeper desire to appear on the stage. In Elizabethan England, women are forbidden from acting, but Viola refuses to accept the restriction. Disguising herself as a young man named Thomas Kent, she attends auditions for Will’s unfinished play and quickly captures the playwright’s attention.

At home, however, Viola faces a very different reality. Preparing for a grand ball hosted by the De Lesseps family, she learns that her father has arranged her marriage to the once wealthy Lord Wessex (Adam Comer), a Virginia plantation owner. Fellow playwright Christopher’ Kit’ Marlowe (Che Cullen) encourages Will to cast the talented Thomas Kent as Romeo. Determined to offer him the role, they track Kent to the De Lesseps household, where they are invited into the family ball. It is here that Will first truly sees Viola, and their chemistry is instant. When Lord Wessex questions Will’s identity, he impulsively introduces himself as Christopher Marlowe; a decision that leads to further confusion later.

Viola’s loyal nurse (Ticki Clark) secretly delivers messages between the two lovers, though she warns Viola that pursuing the stage and Will Shakespeare may end badly. With Marlowe’s assistance, Will attempts a daring balcony visit, but the household catches sight of him. From that moment on, they believe the mysterious visitor to be “Marlowe”.

The production is creatively directed by Jane Wing and Adam Comer, who capture the energy, humour and romantic sweep of this clever play within a play. The staging embraces the chaotic, vibrant world of Elizabethan theatre, where scripts are unfinished, actors play multiple parts, and performances teeter constantly between disaster and brilliance. It was an excellent idea to have the cast positioned around the performance activity, however maybe benches would have been more appropriate for the period.

Tom Jenkinson gives an entertainingly officious performance as Edmund Tilney; the Lord Chamberlain charged with censoring the theatre in Queen Elizabeth’s name. Fiercely proud of his authority, Tilney brings both tension and comic rigidity to the proceedings. Among the supporting characters, Adele Riley Bell’s Wabash Henslowe’s tailor is given a chance to appear on stage despite a troublesome stutter, adding both humour and heart. Matt Kasprazak plays Frees, an experienced young actor whose high voice means he always plays the female roles. Lambert, the tavern bartender and an aspiring actor himself, eagerly queues for auditions when Henslowe announces them. Actors such as Webster (Kaitlyn Spillets), Peter (Joan Mason) and Nol (Alice Rowlands) embody both the rough realities of Elizabethan performers and the characters within the emerging tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

As the romance between Will and Viola deepens, the stakes grow ever higher. After an intimate night Will urges Viola to run away with him rather than marry Lord Wessex, but she knows such a dream is impossible. She must attend court and receive the Queen’s approval for the marriage. When Viola appears before Queen Elizabeth I (Caroline Kay), the sharp-witted monarch quickly senses the truth that Viola’s heart belongs to another. Lord Wessex, assuming the lover to be Christopher Marlowe, storms off in fury to confront him. Following a dispute over ownership of the script, Will manages to hold onto it. However, as they celebrate, Viola/Kent discovers Will has an estranged wife and two children. She runs out, leaving the group to mourn over the sudden news that Marlowe was just stabbed to death across town. Drunk and stirred up, Wessex finds Viola distraught in her bedroom and breaks the news of “her” playwright’s death. She faints, believing he means Will; but when Will enters looking for Viola, Wessex flees thinking him the ghost of Marlowe. I remarked earlier this could cause confusion later!!

The play reaches its emotional climax with the first performance of Romeo and Juliet. The play within a play was brilliantly portrayed, as we the audience looked through one stage, to see another.  Despite the chaos behind the scenes and the obstacles placed in their path, the play triumphs before an enthralled audience. Yet the victory is bittersweet, as Viola must still marry Lord Wessex and depart for America.

The production concludes with the appearance of Queen Elizabeth I, the perceptive monarch who ultimately settles the fate of both the play and its players.  Queen Elizabeth, who has been watching in disguise, intervenes. She decrees Viola is actually the male actor Thomas Kent who played Juliet to save the company from arrest. However, she cannot undo Viola's legal marriage to Wessex. Her judgement brings a satisfying close to this witty, romantic and theatrical love story.  Will inspired by his loss begins to write his next play, 'Twelth Night', whose heroin just happens to be named 'Viola'

This production from Bebbington Dramatic Society of Shakespeare in Love captures the joy, chaos and passion of immersive theatre. With strong performances (Josh Wood and Gemma Dykes & Che Cullen & of course Jess as spot the Dog) playful humour and heartfelt romance, it reminds us how inspiration can strike in the most unexpected ways and how great art is often born from great love.

Thankyou BDS for a splendid evening of live theatre, you were all splendid, I am looking forward to ‘Blue Stockings’ in June.

 

Joanne Rymer

NODA

District 4

 

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