BILL SHAKESPEARE'S ITALIAN JOB: till 25 July
Warwick
BILL SHAKESPEARE'S ITALIAN JOB: Created by Malachi Bogdanov (developed in association with Playbox Theatre)
The Dream Factory: Cooperesque Productions
Tkts: 0192 641 9555
Runs: 1h 30m, no interval, to 25 July
Review: Rod Dungate, 24 July 2003
Humour on lots of levels: tight, irreverent and intelligentBroad, bastardised, irreverent and funny (at times very funny indeed). I have very few complete operas on CD at home. I've got, instead, many excerpts, choruses and arias the best bits of opera (OK so I'm an opera heathen). In this ITALIAN JOB you sort of have the best bits of Shakespeare, smacked around the face and dished up in a mafia led (well there are men in dark glasses) thriller. Have you ever seen a car chase on stage? You do here.
Caesar is executed (by dipstick) and Charlie (aka Romeo) fresh from prison is deputed to get some gold from Titus with the aid of the Nurse (aka Quickly) and Juliet (aka Vernon) who's in love with Romeo (aka Charlie). After this the plot gets complicated but they all end up in a coach balanced on the edge of a cliff trying to grab the dosh which is overbalancing the coach sea-wards.
Great nonsense and great fun and much appreciated by its audience. The play works on several levels. You can enjoy it as an outrageous tale: a lot of young laughter around me. You can do 'spot the Shakespeare' and come away feeling clever (no, I didn't do this, honest!) You can enjoy the use misuse - of Bill's texts: 'God for Charlie, England and St George.' Another much to be savoured moment is Charlie noting down the names of people he should watch out for 'have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber . . . ' Gilz Terrera's (Charlie) finest hour as he has trouble spelling the names, bless him.
A tight company and close ensemble work: everyone has moments of glory. Acting is a little tense to begin with pushed too hard but as the company settles down the play and its humour blossom.
Bruce French's set of three minis is gorgeous. These three small cars can do just about anything including ingesting Caesar's coffin, burning it, ejecting the smoke and supplying an urn of ashes. See it to believe it. Malachi Bogdanov has created and directed a delightful and intelligent summer treat.
Charlie: Gilz Terrera
The Nurse/ Portia: Emma Kennedy
The Fool/ Titus: Tom Lister
Juliet: Juliet McGill
Falstaff/ Shylock/ Caesar: Geoffrey Bateman
Director & Creator: Malachi Bogdanov
Design: Bruce French
Lighting: Malcolm Rippeth
Sound: Tom Lishman
Minis made by Curely UK Ltd
2003-07-25 09:59:23