Sex, Love and Youth – a Shakespearean Soiree

A small band of travelling players pick and choose from Shakespeare’s words, opting for fun over tragedy. Two women and three men take on all roles as they navigate a good portion of Romeo & Juliet and two of Shakespeare’s comedies to hammer home the expression of love through poetry, comedy, and sex.

It’s played straight for the most part – there’s some scripted humour in correcting their movement away from the ‘good’ parts – but it’s beautifully delivered: the characters of Romeo and Juliet particularly are given new life through the performances of the two young actors. They are convincing in their transition from bored cynic to deeply in love and lust with the boy/girl from the wrong family. But all characters bring freshness to the words, and realism to the experiences.

The second and third excerpts are much shorter, and could have been more developed, but the cast bring the same expertise and understanding to the nuances of these characters.

In a Fringe-full of comedic, drunken, and rushed tellings of his story, this one remains faithful to the words and the pace, even if it misses the point a little in only focusing on the good.

If Shakespeare isn’t your thing, this won’t convince you otherwise; but if you’re already a fan of the Bard, this is great theatre, and an hour well-spent.

Review by Mark Wickett

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