Stage Dragon: The Shakespeare Revue At The Yvonne Arnaud

Published on: 7 Oct, 2016
Updated on: 7 Oct, 2016

With fantastic reviews from London, The Shakespeare Revue hits Guildford at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre this week up to Saturday, October 8.

I can quite honestly say I had no idea what was to unfold last night (Thursday). Certainly, I expected something to do with Shakespeare, given the title. Intrigued, I sat in my seat, wondering what to make of the stage dressing of five posh stools and a piano.

The evening started with a reminder of phrases which have passed into common usage that fell from Shakespeare’s pen, or rather quill. I knew some of the phrases mentioned, but certainly not all of them. Such an educational evening!

Alex Morgan as Romeo desperately reminding Anna Stolli that she is supposed to be Juliet and not Lady Macbeth with a knife and murderous intentions.

A fast-paced plethora of diverse takes on Shakespeare were presented by the cast. Each element moved smoothly into the next, helped by the very capable Malcolm McKee at the piano.

One sketch (And How Is Hamlet?) depicted the return of a Danish ambassador, who inquired about the health of person after person. Having heard that one after another was dead, by the end of the sketch he was on his knees, completely overcome. The audience was in stitches. How the actors kept a straight face, I’ll never know.

These actors are also singers and a number of the revue elements were musical in nature. Give Us A Rest had Henry V, Juliet, and Hamlet begging for a rest, because they seem to never have a break from being performed. The Heroine The Opera House Forgot was ably performed by Anna Stolli.

Lizzie Bea sang very touchingly about Carrying A Torch for the spear carrier that she has never spoken to.

Alex Scott-Fairley, Lizzi Bea and Alex Morgan ask us to ‘give them a break’ in the Shakespeare Revue at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

Who could not like the Fry and Laurie sketch Shakespeare Masterclass? An actor is given pointers on how to deliver a passage beginning with the word ‘time’ with the audience playing the part of the class. Hilarious!

The Victoria Wood sketch Giving Notes had the audience playing the cast of an amateur stage company being given a talking-to after a rehearsal. Jordan Lee Davies gave a very good impression of a director who knew his actors needed encouragement as much as they needed to hear where they were going wrong.

In ending, he told them that it was a good thing the opening date was not until next June. There was laughter all round the theatre.

The Shakespeare Revue at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre with the hugely talented cast of Lizzie Bea, Jordan Lee-Davies, Anna Stolli, Alex Scott-Fairley and Alex Morgan.

We had an English lesson for a French princess (Lizzie Bea) where her teacher (Anna Stolli) attempted to teach her the parts of the body. And they made the audience join in. By the end, we were trying to sing so fast, that we couldn’t get the words out fast enough – but we were also laughing, so it was difficult to sing at all.

I do hope they forgave us.

Alex Morgan in a long blond wig as Romeo, tried to get Anna Stolli to be Juliet, but she was so heavily into Lady Macbeth, and no amount of telling her that it was Tuesday, not Wednesday, could get her to let go of the knife.

The cast gave a splendid rendition of the Cole Porter songs Brush Up Your Shakespeare and Let’s Do It.

This was an accomplished piece of theatre, and the actors deserved the enthusiastic applause which ended the performance.

The Shakespeare Revue is playing at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre until Saturday, October 8 (Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 2.30pm and 8pm). You can book online by clicking here or by calling 01483 440000.

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