OneTouch Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 20 February 2009

The Reduced Shakespeare Company

THE REDUCED Shakespeare Company has been performing The Bible: The Complete Word of God in some form since 1997, which is no surprise given the quality of performance delivered by American performers Jack Bennett, William Meredith, and John Kielty [a sometime California-based Scot, familiar to Inverness audiences as co-creater and co-star of Sundowe, the Highland Quest winning show which opened this theatre].

Right from the opening, the performance is slick, energetic, and of course, funny. The show involves the three experienced actors guiding the audience through the Old Testament in the first half and the New Testament in the second (although undoubtedly some of the less interesting books are left on the wayside). This calls for several changes of character, costume, wigs and too many props to possibly keep track of.

The cast and crew are to be commended for these smooth transitions. If mistakes are made the audience certainly don’t pick up on them, and all technical aspects of the show were top notch, particularly when you consider how little time the company has in each venue – a day, two at most.

The high points of the show would have to be the few occasions where the actors trip up, or when their props fail them. The Virgin Mary’s birthing of Jesus had to be attempted several times (including a well timed second coming from Jack Bennett) and Pilate’s pilot costume is priceless and has the audience in stitches. Bennett is the quickest to pick up on opportunity for improvisation, while Kielty gives the strongest all round performance.

The show’s one fault is its tendency to fall back on the easier jokes. Many jokes, while delivered with flair and causing laughter throughout the show, were unoriginal and predictable. This is why the moments of improvisation and mistakes were the most entertaining.

Having said that, I’m certain every audience member leaves the Reduced Shakespeare Company’s company happier than they were two hours before, and with a much greater knowledge of the details of the Bible. Alright, the last part’s a lie – it’s barely educative, but it’s absolutely entertaining.

© Polly Hamilton, 2009

Links

• Reduced Shakespeare Company