By Cal
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veSOknIgBf0
Available until: Unknown
Warnings: 16+ Love, loss and
desire. Rape, incest, child sexual abuse, anorexia, drug addiction, mental
instability, murder, suicide.
This is a bit crazy but definitely fun. It’s written by
Thomas Middleton, who was a contemporary of Shakespeare’s (Middleton is
younger, but there is an overlap), and there are similarities in the language,
though I don’t feel it’s on Shakespeare’s level. Nothing really jumped out at
me in the way Shakespeare’s language does. But it’s fun.
The Witch is basically the Shakespearean equivalent of Emmerdale. Shakespeare is very naughty, but his plays do usually have a certain amount of class. (Or maybe it seems that way because his words sound beautiful.) The Witch is almost constant bedhopping. If they’re not doing it themselves, they’re trying to catch someone else in the act. Not that everyone necessarily knows who they’re having sex with. At least half of them are disguised. It could come across really badly, but Middleton keeps the tone farcical so it’s not as worrying as it is in Measure for Measure or All’s Well That Ends Well. The characters in The Witch don’t seem to be real people so you don’t have to worry about them as you might about characters in other plays. It’s not even as though the characters who die necessarily stay dead. You just need to sit back and enjoy the ride. (After all, that’s what the characters do.)
The Witch, as you’d expect from the title, has a
strong fantasy element. Hecate is the main witch and she seems to be a
respected member of society, the first port of call when you want someone to
die or fall in love with you. Christine Penney is wonderfully creepy in the
role. Her acting is brilliant and the combination of the lighting and lipstick
is a very nice touch. Natasha Magigi (who uses an incredible vocal effect), Deb
Kinghorn and Laura Piccoli (who shows off her impressive violin skills) also add
to these exciting scenes. (But poor Wilson Wilsonian. He ‘bearly’ lasts more
than a few seconds and it’s not the kind of heartbreaking exit he’s used to.)
Daniel Kemper plays the sneaky Sebastian (not that I
completely blame him for being sneaky, the guy’s had a shock) and not only
speaks the lines beautifully, he manages to say them clearly through a mask.
Very impressive work (even though the mask of the night belongs to Dan
Beaulieu’s Firestone).
There are also some great female characters. Deb Radloff’s
scheming Duchess is strangely bewitching. Caroline Cronin is utterly
unscrupulous as Francisca, but she’s great to watch. Jennifer Jackson is also
fun as her good girl sister Isabella. Amoretta, played by Paulina Tobar, is
very sweet and does some great work as the effects of a spell suddenly overcome
her, only to wear off again.
The comedy characters also provide some good moments. Ella
Mock pulls some hilariously unimpressed faces as Antonio, Jimmy Sears is
amusing as Gaspero and I love the way Joel Iwaskiewicz characterises
Abberzanes. I spent most of the play thinking Montgomery Sutton just about
sneaked in to win the Best Comedy award – his flirtatiousness and suaveness as
Almachildes are wonderful to watch – but then along comes Dhruv Iyengar, not as
Hermio but as ‘Hermia’, complete with bunches and a strapless dress. It’s a
brilliant idea which adds an extra layer of madness to a crazy plot.
It’s not Shakespeare (there is only one Shakespeare), but
it’s an enjoyable way to celebrate Halloween Week and it really is good to see
so many of the Shakespeare Happy Hours regulars back together again. Hopefully,
it isn’t a one-off.
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