(Malvern Bard in association with Malvern Theatres)
I am a big fan of Nick Wilkes' writing and particularly enjoy the
diversity of his subject matter. As writer in residence at Malvern Theatres, he
has a wonderful opportunity to develop his skills, which he his exploring to
its fullest. His new work is an historical drama and virgin territory for
Wilkes. To Build A Wooden O is the fascinating story of William Shakespeare
and The Chamberlain's Men and the events leading to the construction of the
acclaimed Globe Theatre.
Overall, this is a good production but it's not without its
issues. An unexpectedly large cast brings a tremendous amount of vibrancy to
the stage from entering the auditorium to the dynamic curtain call. Performance
ability, however, varies across the cast and the multitude of voices, some of
whom were struggling with their lines, on opening night, made it difficult to
understand what was going on at times. A combination of poor diction and
dialogue heavy scenes added to the auditory struggle. The blanket use of a West
Country accent for both Midlanders and Londoners, apart from one Northerner,
doesn't help separate the characters and adds to the confusion. The more
intimate scenes are a welcome relief to the general cacophony.
The forum space is perfect for the staging and the 'black box'
allows for the focus to be on the beautifully costumed performers. Ben
Merrick's lighting design is stunning and creates the perfect atmosphere for
the show. Emma Butcher is reassuringly calm as she reminisces on the escapades
of her younger self, superbly played by the captivating Alicia Bennett. Rob
Temple comes into his own in the role of Prologue and Murray Andrews proves his
metal as an actor yet again. Special mention has to be made of Paul Ralph's
brilliantly animated performance, which is a masterclass in silent comedy.
The second act is a very different beast to the first act. Its
structure is so contrasting it feels like a different show all together. There
are missed opportunities here and presenting an abridged version of Henry V is
unnecessary when other, more interesting, elements of the story are quickly
brushed over, such as the money lending and Bill's brother's untimely demise.
Wilkes is particularly good at writing dialogue that explores relationships and
the vulnerability of individuals and, to me, this is where the better story lay
in this tale. The scenes involving the Shakespeare family members were the most
intriguing by far and I would have liked to see more of this with the other
action merely providing the setting.
The topic is extremely interesting and this talented playwright
can successfully add historical writing to his repertoire. It is perhaps time
for a fresh directorial eye and an acting troupe of equable talents to showcase
the true potential of Nick Wilkes' work. To Build A Wooden O runs until
Saturday at Malvern's Forum Theatre and is definitely worth experiencing.
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