Shakespeare in love review12/24/2022 Altogether, West Side Story may feel a little too familiar, a little too much of a copy-and-paste project with some shine added, but it’s a lot of shine. Add to it the magnificent soundtrack by Stephen Sondheim (a remembrance of his genius) and you have a memorable, engaging musical that’s a true joy to experience.Īdditionally, with stars shining as brightly as DeBose and Faist do, for example, some other performers are often outshined in the very scenes they should be driving (like the film’s co-protagonist, Ansel Elgort, whose memorably off-kilter Baby Driver eccentricities aren’t present here-he only stands up against those bright lights when dancing, but boy does he excel there). Spielberg uses every trick in the book, and every one lands. ![]() ![]() The shifting kaleidoscopic colors across the faces of Tony and Maria as they make their vowels, covering over the differences between their respective factions (so often color coded up to this point). The mirror scene in the rendition of “I Feel Pretty.” The weaving shadows preceding the fateful gang fight, coming together as so many fingers across the throat of the city. The use of light, color, and shadow is truly a triumph. Altogether an exceptional array of talent so loaded with energy and charisma that it’s hard not to feel the energy and emotion of the script. Finally, Rita Moreno was a emotionally captivating delight in every scene. Ansel Elgort was good as Tony, but frequently outshined by his counterparts (except in the dancing sequences, in which he excelled). Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of Shakespeare in Love is running at Arts Centre Melbourne until Saturday August 17.Also noteworthy, David Alvarez’ Bernardo is great throughout, and Mike Faist additionally exudes so much screen presence that I already look forward to his next role. With its season extended, it’s sure to be the sell-out hit of this year’s MTC program. It’s a production full of laughs, love and even a cute little dog (everything an audience is looking for). Shakespeare in Love cleverly gives audiences a peek behind the curtain, brilliantly retelling the made-up story behind one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. The entire cast seem to be revelling in the opportunity to poke fun at their profession, which brings a unique playfulness to the production that the audience can’t help but enjoy. The cast is full of hysterically memorable performances, with Daniel Frederiksen pushing the combative Lord Wessex to a delightfully over the top fop and Chris Ryan transforming character Ned Alleyn into narcissism incarnate. This is nicely contrasted against Claire van der Boom, who portrays the adventurous Viola de Lesseps with steadfast confidence, creating an effortless rhythm between the two characters as they bounce Hall’s witty dialogue back and forth. He brings sweetness and vulnerability to the young playwright, which slowly evolves into a more brash performance as his infatuation for Viola grows. Heading the cast is Michael Wahr, who plays the titular role. They’ve emphasised the personal story at the heart of Hall’s new script and let the world around it grow naturally from the words and performances. The scale of the story isn’t the broadest, although you find yourself quickly immersed in the world of theatre rehearsals, barroom brawls and extravagant high society balls.īy creating this world for their production, Phillips and Tlesova have truly honed in on the important aspects of the play. Using every inch of the stage, they’ve crafted an understated but visually engaging world for their players to inhabit. It adds an extra element of knowing and joy that, now having seen the story performed in its seemingly rightful place, was truly lacking in the original film.ĭirector Simon Phillips, along with the amazing design efforts of Gabriela Tylesova, has brought this lavish new production to life in Arts Centre Melbourne’s Playhouse Theatre. There’s something quite magical - and just a little bit meta - about watching Shakespeare and his troupe gather in the theatre to create a new piece of art for the masses. ![]() Everything from Solaristo School of Rock has seen audiences packing into Melbourne’s lush theatre venues, although none seem like a more fitting adaptation than Melbourne Theatre Company’s new production of Shakespeare in Love.īased on the Academy Award-winning screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, playwright Lee Hall has brilliantly taken the comedic tale of lovelorn William Shakespeare, who’s suffering a severe case of writer’s block, to its most logical evolution: the stage. However, in recent years, theatrical adaptations of classic films have become more and more common. It’s not uncommon these days to see remakes and reboots gracing the silver screen.
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