Main Menu
Login
Online
There are 16 unlogged users and 1 registered user online.
You can log-in or register for a user account here.
You can log-in or register for a user account here.
Tour.
ROMEO AND JULIET
by William Shakespeare.
Illyria Tour to 5 September 2010.
Information www.illyria.uk.com
Runs 3hr 5min One interval.
Review: Alan Geary 10 July at Newstead Abbey.
Well up to Illyria’s high standards.
This Romeo and Juliet is well up to Illyria’s high standards when it comes to entertainment. What’s more, it’s also an interesting interpretation of the play.
Somewhat unusually, director Oliver Gray has emphasised the comedic elements in the play. Not just the bawdiness and the obvious bits involving the Nurse and so on; he draws out the humour underlying the first fight and the balcony scene, for example, and even the poison mix-up. And he doesn’t omit that slapstick low-life scene immediately after Juliet is found apparently dead, often cut.
It might have been a device to ensure adequate projection - particularly after last year’s weathery weather - but throughout proceedings there was too much addressing the audience instead of the appropriate character. Otherwise, a cast of just five did justice to Shakespeare’s verse: it was beautifully spoken.
William Finkenrath, who also did Lady Capulet, was superb as Mercutio, throwing us some Tommy Cooper and Frankie Howard as a bonus, and going into the audience during the Queen Mab speech. His scenes with Annie Lees Jones as the Nurse were outstanding. Paul Hayden’s Romeo was good; his Capulet was even better. The scene where he loses his temper with his daughter - Theresa Brockway was a strident Juliet - was the sort of knockabout where people, Nurse included, actually got knocked about. Surrounded as it was by all the fun, it was quite shocking.
Fights, especially the swordplay, which was splendidly done, were a special feature of the evening
It might have been a good idea to make the Prince of Verona a queen instead, an Elizabeth I look-alike moreover. But it was surely a false move to bolt 'Fear No More' onto the end of the play. It’s a song from a completely different work (Cymbeline); and coming after the authentic final speech, it’s anticlimactic.
But, reservations apart, this particular production of a great play, in an unbeatable setting, is ideal for a summer’s evening.
Cast: Theresa Brockway, William Finkenrath, Paul Hayden, Thomas Judd, Annie Lees Jones.
Director/Music: Oliver Gray.
Fight direction: Toby Gaffney.
Fight captains: William Finkenrath/Annie Lees Jones.
Tour: (time in bracketd indicates gate-opening time for each property).
17 July 6pm (5.30pm) Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate Thornhil, Dumfriesshire 01848 331555.
18 July 7.30pm (6pm) Cawdor Castle Nairn 01667 404401.
20 July 7pm (6pm) Brantwood Coniston 015394 41396.
21 July 6.30pm (5.30pm) Wormistoune House Crail Fife 01333 450108.
23 July 7pm (6pm) Sutton Hoo NT Woodbridge 01394 389714.
24 July 7.30pm (6pm) Cliveden NT Maidenhead 0844 249 1895.
25 July 2.30pm (2pm) Fulham Palace Fulham fulhampalace.org
28 July 6.30pm (6pm) Lanhydrock NT Bodmin 01208 265950.
29 July 7.30pm (7pm) Bristol Zoo Gardens Bristol 0117 974 7300.
30 July 7.30pm (6.30pm) Campbell Park Pavilion Milton Keynes 01908 233600.
31 July 6.30pm (6pm) Bodiam Castle NT nr Robertsbridge 0844 249 1895.
1 Aug 3pm (2.30pm) Oak Hill Park Arena East Barnet illyria.uk.com
5 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Dyffryn Gardens St Nicholas Cardiff 02920 593328.
6-7 Aug 7pm (6pm) Abergavenny Castle Grounds Abergavenny 01873 850805.
8 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Welsh Wildlife Centre Cilgerran Cardigan 01239 621200.
11 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Keepmoat Stadium Doncaster 01302 762576.
12 Aug 7.30pm (7pm) Harlech Castle 01766 780667.
13 Aug 7.00pm (6pm) Bodnant Garden NT Colwyn Bay 01492 650460.
14 Aug 6.30pm (5.30pm) Tatton Park Knutsford 01625 374400.
15 Aug 6.00pm (5pm) Rufford Old Hall NT Ormskirk 01704 823812.
17 Aug 7.30pm (6pm) Logie Steading Forres 01309 611378.
20 Aug 7.30pm (7pm) Williamson Park Lancaster 01524 33318.
21 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Nostell Priory & Parkland NT Pontefract 0844 249 1895.
22 Aug 7.00pm (5pm) Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum Salisbury 01722 332151.
24 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Tonbridge Castle Tonbridge 01732 770929.
25 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Kasteel Heeswijk NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
26 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Oranjerie Kasteel Duivenvoorde NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
29 Aug 2pm (1pm) Kasteel Keppel NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
31 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Oranjerie Kasteel Duivenvoorde NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
1 Sept 7.30pm (6.30pm) Oranjerie Kasteel Duivenvoorde NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
3-4 Sept 7.30pm (6.30pm) Landgoed Schovenhorst NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
5 Sept 2pm (1pm) Landgoed Schovenhorst NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
ROMEO AND JULIET
by William Shakespeare.
Illyria Tour to 5 September 2010.
Information www.illyria.uk.com
Runs 3hr 5min One interval.
Review: Alan Geary 10 July at Newstead Abbey.
Well up to Illyria’s high standards.
This Romeo and Juliet is well up to Illyria’s high standards when it comes to entertainment. What’s more, it’s also an interesting interpretation of the play.
Somewhat unusually, director Oliver Gray has emphasised the comedic elements in the play. Not just the bawdiness and the obvious bits involving the Nurse and so on; he draws out the humour underlying the first fight and the balcony scene, for example, and even the poison mix-up. And he doesn’t omit that slapstick low-life scene immediately after Juliet is found apparently dead, often cut.
It might have been a device to ensure adequate projection - particularly after last year’s weathery weather - but throughout proceedings there was too much addressing the audience instead of the appropriate character. Otherwise, a cast of just five did justice to Shakespeare’s verse: it was beautifully spoken.
William Finkenrath, who also did Lady Capulet, was superb as Mercutio, throwing us some Tommy Cooper and Frankie Howard as a bonus, and going into the audience during the Queen Mab speech. His scenes with Annie Lees Jones as the Nurse were outstanding. Paul Hayden’s Romeo was good; his Capulet was even better. The scene where he loses his temper with his daughter - Theresa Brockway was a strident Juliet - was the sort of knockabout where people, Nurse included, actually got knocked about. Surrounded as it was by all the fun, it was quite shocking.
Fights, especially the swordplay, which was splendidly done, were a special feature of the evening
It might have been a good idea to make the Prince of Verona a queen instead, an Elizabeth I look-alike moreover. But it was surely a false move to bolt 'Fear No More' onto the end of the play. It’s a song from a completely different work (Cymbeline); and coming after the authentic final speech, it’s anticlimactic.
But, reservations apart, this particular production of a great play, in an unbeatable setting, is ideal for a summer’s evening.
Cast: Theresa Brockway, William Finkenrath, Paul Hayden, Thomas Judd, Annie Lees Jones.
Director/Music: Oliver Gray.
Fight direction: Toby Gaffney.
Fight captains: William Finkenrath/Annie Lees Jones.
Tour: (time in bracketd indicates gate-opening time for each property).
17 July 6pm (5.30pm) Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate Thornhil, Dumfriesshire 01848 331555.
18 July 7.30pm (6pm) Cawdor Castle Nairn 01667 404401.
20 July 7pm (6pm) Brantwood Coniston 015394 41396.
21 July 6.30pm (5.30pm) Wormistoune House Crail Fife 01333 450108.
23 July 7pm (6pm) Sutton Hoo NT Woodbridge 01394 389714.
24 July 7.30pm (6pm) Cliveden NT Maidenhead 0844 249 1895.
25 July 2.30pm (2pm) Fulham Palace Fulham fulhampalace.org
28 July 6.30pm (6pm) Lanhydrock NT Bodmin 01208 265950.
29 July 7.30pm (7pm) Bristol Zoo Gardens Bristol 0117 974 7300.
30 July 7.30pm (6.30pm) Campbell Park Pavilion Milton Keynes 01908 233600.
31 July 6.30pm (6pm) Bodiam Castle NT nr Robertsbridge 0844 249 1895.
1 Aug 3pm (2.30pm) Oak Hill Park Arena East Barnet illyria.uk.com
5 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Dyffryn Gardens St Nicholas Cardiff 02920 593328.
6-7 Aug 7pm (6pm) Abergavenny Castle Grounds Abergavenny 01873 850805.
8 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Welsh Wildlife Centre Cilgerran Cardigan 01239 621200.
11 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Keepmoat Stadium Doncaster 01302 762576.
12 Aug 7.30pm (7pm) Harlech Castle 01766 780667.
13 Aug 7.00pm (6pm) Bodnant Garden NT Colwyn Bay 01492 650460.
14 Aug 6.30pm (5.30pm) Tatton Park Knutsford 01625 374400.
15 Aug 6.00pm (5pm) Rufford Old Hall NT Ormskirk 01704 823812.
17 Aug 7.30pm (6pm) Logie Steading Forres 01309 611378.
20 Aug 7.30pm (7pm) Williamson Park Lancaster 01524 33318.
21 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Nostell Priory & Parkland NT Pontefract 0844 249 1895.
22 Aug 7.00pm (5pm) Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum Salisbury 01722 332151.
24 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Tonbridge Castle Tonbridge 01732 770929.
25 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Kasteel Heeswijk NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
26 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Oranjerie Kasteel Duivenvoorde NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
29 Aug 2pm (1pm) Kasteel Keppel NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
31 Aug 7.30pm (6.30pm) Oranjerie Kasteel Duivenvoorde NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
1 Sept 7.30pm (6.30pm) Oranjerie Kasteel Duivenvoorde NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
3-4 Sept 7.30pm (6.30pm) Landgoed Schovenhorst NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl
5 Sept 2pm (1pm) Landgoed Schovenhorst NETHERLANDS theenglishtheatre.nl