Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
YOU can’t beat a bit of the Bard for a piece of political skullduggery, murder, mystery, suspense, passion and a belly full of laughs … well, that’s what a motley crew of royal court entertainers hope during this fabulous one act play by Paul Nimmo.
The works of the English playwright make the recent US election shenanigans look like a school playground spat in comparison, as devotees will be well aware. But even those who had never tasted his text will enjoy this production by the Manama Theatre Club (MTC). Dynamically directed by Sowsan Hasan and powerfully produced by Carrie LuntBell, the cast members play a group of actors and dancers who have to entertain a bored king, played with crowning authority by marvellous Mike Jackson who shines brightly throughout the performance.
From the opening line he draws the audience in (I was among a small gathering at this week’s final dress performance before tonight’s opening show) with charisma and communication, aided by the all-inclusive clever traditional round theatre setting, a concept in which the audience surrounds the stage area and feels completely part of the action.
I don’t normally acknowledge the lighting and sound backstage crews this early on in a review but please - David Haythorne and Anna Johnston - take a bow, stunning work.
Needing something special to save their heads, the actors turn to Shakespeare with a dazzling display of some of his most memorable moments and the MTC cast of 12, with a mixture of ages from teens to pensioners, take the audience on a journey of star-crossed lovers, the cut and thrust of duelling Danes, and what the Puck, even a bearded lady being courted over a human wall!
One of my favourite local actresses, Anne Kooheji, pulls out all the stops in one scene as Lady Macbeth and William Perois, taking the part of Romeo and Laertes, among others, who has aspirations of becoming a professional actor, looks like a star in the making.
This is a timely reminder of some of the Bard’s greatest works in smaller bitesize portions as the world celebrates Shakespeare’s work in 2016 by marking the 400th anniversary of his death.
It is also a special addition to the BHUK events schedule marking the 200th anniversary of UK-Bahrain relations. Shakespeare lives …a kingdom for a stage, in more ways than one.
