ShakeItUp: The Improvised Shakespeare Show, The Other Palace Review
Written by Mia for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
If anyone has ever told you that ‘Shakespeare is boring’ then you need to bring them to shake it up. William but witty: the bard, but barmy - it’s the perfect tonic for the dull summer evenings.
Our audience is asked to share some one-liners, perhaps from the man himself, but they can be anything. These are secreted unseen into the breeches of our actors ready to be revealed at a moment in time…
We begin with The History of Keith from Southend… a paternal horticulture entrepreneur and finish with The Comedy of Clarissa of Glasgow, who has escaped her untimely death on Southend pier and taken her miracle son to Scotland.
Both are very funny. As the fantastic actors work with the audience’s choice of location, key character and insight into them, the performance moves rapidly; there are also plenty of nods to Shakespeare, modern day and drama. There’s even some singing as a one-liner announces ‘methinks I do burst into song’!
It’s lighthearted entertainment, with the actors often struggling not to corpse onstage. This only adds to the hilarity, as none of us knows what will next come out of the cast’s mouths… or indeed whom they may call upon in the audience.
But in true Shakespeare style, everyone dies in the historical play, and everyone - literally - everyone gets married in the comedy.
Different every time, this show really does shake up Shakespeare and make it accessible for everyone.
★ ★ ★ ★
