Review: SHAKESPEARE UNTOLD, Wilton's, June 1 2016

A lot of kids are put off Shakespeare at school - all that "Sirrah", "Marry" and "Forsooth" gets in the way of the great stories, then with maturity, the great characters and, ultimately, in adulthood, the psychological insights. Many productions, especially of favourites like A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night, do a grand job of making the Bard accessible, but there are still hurdles to be cleared.

Harper Ray and Adam Sibbald's Shakespeare Untold (continuing at Wilton's until June 4) is a clever and rewarding way to bring young people (and some not so young) to Shakespeare through a guide to whom they can relate. It's the kind of fiddling about with plays that can attract purists' disdain, but this is a co-production with Shakespeare's Globe, so some liberties may have been taken, but none diabolical!

First up we get the Capulets' party planner (Sally Lofthouse, channeling some of the best Jackanory turns) in a pink dress, with a big bow and Marigolds. She fills us in on Verona's feuding families and on the events of the night when Tybalt was slain by Romeo and he pursued his Juliet. There's a few famous lines thrown in "...alike in dignity..." etc and a few references to Katy Perry too, but youngsters will get the plot and something of the theme of reconciliation with which the tragedy concludes. They might, as my son once did, ask why Juliet didn't just text or snapchat Romeo with her plan, but that's by-the-by. It's well done and engaging, if a little breathlessly delivered in order to fit it all in before the interval.

Tom Giles has the tougher gig. He's below stairs in the kitchen, while upstairs, the blood, guts and gore of Titus Andronicus is underway. It's one of Shakey's less performed works (I know it only from 1970s Hammer movie "Theatre of Blood" in which Robert Morley enjoys a particular pie), but the very charming Giles does a great job of recounting the slaughter. And, though it's all a bit unpleasant, it's no worse than plenty of fairy tales, so the kids just lapped it up. A few of us older types enjoyed some of the in-jokes too - nicely done Tom!

Now to see the full versions again!