OneTouch Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 2 June 2009

Home-Made Shakespeare

PROBABLY one of the most bizarre things I’ve seen all year, but if you leave your cynicism behind and take it with a pinch of salt, Home-Made Shakespeare proves to be a rather enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

In a combined effort from Nola Rae (London Mime Theatre) and Lasse Akerland (Teater Allena), madness and laughter join forces in an original take on three of Shakespeare’s most famous plays.

However, the three plays which followed, we were told, were not by the well known William Shakespeare, but none other than his brother Eric who was the real talent (whoever knew?). No doubt both brothers were turning in their grave when these two highly experienced but eccentric story tellers threw themselves head-on into the world of Shakespeare for the eight plus audience.

The first Shakespearian mouthful (more literal than you would think) was a wacky version of Macbeth played by Akerland’s lunch (and, no, I’m not joking). With a dining table as the set and a tomato as Macbeth, Akerland whirled us through the Scottish play in such a way that sparked the imagination and had even the older audience (my mother) crying with laughter.

Then, without so much as clearing the now demolished luncheon away, Rae was introduced to us before swiftly manoeuvring behind the puppet theatre ready to begin “The Tragedy of Handlet”, (appropriately named since the characters were two gloved hands) otherwise known as the slightly more famous Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

For those of us who are not well versed in all of Shakespeare’s plays, or in my own case have not yet come to study them in school, Rae’s loose interpretation of Hamlet was somewhat confusing. However, it has to be said that my bewilderment of the story did not take away from the incredibly talented puppeteering.

After a short interval the thirty-something audience (two thirds of which was made up of keen drama students) trooped back in for the second half of the evening performance – Shakespeare’s unrequited love story, Romeo and Juliette. Our hero and heroine were played by none other than two bags (Romeo was paper and Juliette plastic) and although it takes a little getting use to this was definitely my favourite of the three.

This was such an original and unusual little play, and although I have my reservations about it I can’t help but feel slightly entranced by its magic and how captivating it was. I think it is a great introduction to Shakespeare (William or Eric), and will prove to be a success.

© Jo Gratton, 2009

Links

• Nola Rae