All But Is Fantasy production image. Photo by Marc Brenner

Written by Roby for Theatre & Tonic

Whitney White, a tour de force, has directed, written and stars in ‘All Is But Fantasy’ at the RSC’s The Other Place. It’s a wild, in-your-face two-part gig theatre piece that explores ambition, society, and questions why women in Shakespeare's plays rarely make it to the final act. Using her experiences as a black woman within society, White calls into question why Shakespeare is still so relevant today, ultimately producing a painfully poignant piece through her exploration of various texts and music genres.

The shows explore various Shakespeare plays - one part discusses Lady Macbeth and Emelia, and the other discusses Juliet and Richard III. All four of these are played excellently by White, who, in my opinion, excels most as Lady Macbeth. Whilst the plays can be watched in any order (according to their advertising), one part does have a distinct beginning, and the other has a distinct ending. I technically watched the show in reverse order, and whilst this didn’t affect my viewing experience too much, there certainly is a better order to watch the piece in.

White’s direction is brilliant, utilising the intimate nature of the venue to create a vulnerable and raw atmosphere that maintains audience engagement for the entire 4-part extravaganza. Throughout the show, she wears her heart on her sleeve, and it’s clear to see that throughout the process, she has had an idea of what she wanted and how to achieve it. The choreography (Sarita Piotrowski) throughout the show is also strong and particularly stands out during the Lady Macbeth section.

One thing I loved about this show is how distinct every section was. The pre-show playlist before each show complemented the atmosphere well, which was further reflected by Soutra Gilmour’s excellent costume and set design. Everything just worked so well – from the red fur coats for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, to the gothic funeral attire for Richard III. Props are handled well throughout, and due to a lack of set and costume changes, the show flows so smoothly - it’s fuss-free and well-paced.

The music throughout the show is a true standout. With head-banging tunes, powerful ballads, and intricate harmonies, it really is a triumphant showcase of various genres – gospel, soul, blues, rock, and pop. At times, the music outshines the lyrics, which can be quite repetitive – but the incredible vocals of the entire cast excuse this. There are countless musical highlights, but I particularly loved the Lady Macbeth gospel numbers, the recurring “hallelujah” motif, and the song ‘Queen’ in the Richard III section. During this number, White brings all four sections of the show to an emotional but fitting close, drawing on her own personal experiences. The 4-piece band is, throughout the entire show, simply incredible to watch and listen to – hats off to musical director Tom Knowles.

The witches (Renèe Lamb, Georgina Onuorah, and Timmika Ramsay) were also a standout for me. They are a fierce trio of vocal powerhouses; I simply couldn’t stop watching them. It’s clear that these three have great chemistry both on and off stage, which is what allows them to excel so well in their roles. As well as many songs, they do also get some sections of Shakespeare to perform, which are executed brilliantly. Georgina Onuorah’s Queen Mab monologue was a particular favourite of mine.

Overall, ‘All Is But Fantasy’ is a poignant, thought-provoking, unmissable reimagining of some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. It’s great to see items like this in the RSC’s season this year, and I look forward to seeing what White does next.

I bought my tickets for this show using the RSC £10 Tickets for Under 30s, which are supported by Tik Tok. This is a great scheme that makes theatre so accessible for people – so if you are under 30, do get signed up!

All Is But Fantasy plays until 21 February

️️️️️★★★★★

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