“Shakespeare In Love”
Nottingham Theatre Royal

The play, based on the Oscar-winning film of the same name, follows Will Shakespeare as he struggles with writer’s block, trying to pen an ill-conceived comedy, “Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate Daughter”. Will meets the lovely Viola de Lesseps and falls in love. She, unfortunately, is due to marry Lord Wessex, a nobleman who needs to marry into money. The ensuing romance between Will and Viola inspires him to write the tragedy, “Romeo and Juliet”.

The play, like the film , is a comedy and has many stand out comic characters, and while sometimes a film script does not work that well as a stage play, the comedy writing, in this case, works really well for a theatre piece.It is no mystery as to why this play is such a success.

Pierro Niel-Mee stars as a slightly dim but very charming "bit of rough" Will Shakespeare with Imogen Daines as Viola and Edmund Kingsley as Christopher “Kit” Marlowe, the man this play hints at was behind a lot of The Bard's biggest hits! The show also throws shadows over Shakespeare's sexuality, but always done in the best possible taste

The cast also features Emmerdale and Coronation Street actor Bill Ward as Wessex, Rob Edwards as Fennyman, Geraldine Alexander as a wonderfully humorous Queen Elizabeth, Ian Hughes as Henslowe, Giles Taylor as Tilney and De Lesseps, Edward Harrison as Burbage and Philip Labey as Sam.

Rowan Polonski is a marvellously hammy Ned Alleyn, Kevin N Golding, Joshua Richards, Jonathan Blaydon, Ashley Gayle, Rosalind Steele, Toby Webster and Jazmine Wilkinson as a brilliant cockney sparrer, Webster, complete the main cast.

The production is directed by Phillip Breen with design by Max Jones. The revolving stage works well to progress the play within the play and draws comparisons with another brilliant comedy, "Noises Off" because we can see all that happens "backstage".

Shekespeare fans should find enough of the undiluted Shakespeare in this play, whilst fans of the film, and comedy theatre, should also be sated by the adaptation and the additional comic script.

Composer Paddy Cunneen creates a lovely Renaissance style score with many of the instruments played live on stage.

The costumes, make up and wigs were just gorgeous as well, and I'll admit that is I were an actor, I'd want to be in a play like this just to wear some of those amazing threads... Ok yes, and maybe the wigs as well.

I adored the camp comedy and farce but on the other end of the scales, I melted at the beauty of Shakespeare's gorgeous words for "Romeo & Juliet".

Just one question that I couldn't get my head around. Why were there so many empty seats for this wonderfully tongue in cheek romp?

“Shakespeare In Love” is playing at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 20 October 2018.