All components came together well for this online performance where six actors, all of whom knew each other well, had come together to perform and outperform each other in what became a comedic jostle for creative control. It was immediately obvious that they all knew Shakespeare well. The Northern Comedy theatre had produced a take on Shakespeare and acting that hit the nail on the head as it came together as a kind of workshop.

Using every kind of tool including the use of Zoom as it was meant to be, the split screen message was most of all about fun. They showed off their medieval costumes of flaring hats, plumy shirts, hair tied in plates, lace necklaces and so on. But they were all dressed for different plays. This came to light as they recognised the different passages that each read out.

We are performing ‘King Lear’ one incensed that’s what we decided on at our meeting! These words set the tone for a very great and lively, and very comedic debate that only led to an unorganised chaos that had Shakespeare being quoted as whips from the tongue as if it were as easy as breathing.

The show put Shakespeare into every kind of examination and developed every nuance of theatrical trickery and went ahead with such a speed of dialogue that flew by and really entertained with good gusto. 

In all they covered six plays from Hamlet to Romeo and Juliet, all their plays have had the most serious of attention in the theatrical world but ever was humour present. The take of these six was to open his plays as they opened in the time, to free Shakespeare up and bring them to the attention of hopefully as many people as possible.

They set about with joy not drudgery, with great respect and were held together as a serious and incredulous making of their own play about bringing them together. After debate they came to the devious conclusion that they would all read from their different plays yet they would put them together as responses. They decided that actually no one would really even notice when king Lear would speak and the witch from Macbeth would respond. 

This was definitely an overflowing celebration of commanding control of a confetti of worlds and wonders of Shakespeare’s plays. Relevant and daring, putting the works into so many facets, coming up with such a great plethora of insights, wisdom and knowledge, all done in a 40 min skit.

Daniel Donnelly

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