TEARS OF A CLOWN Shelly Willetts/Rob Swain Harrogate Theatre
Harrogate
TEARS OF A CLOWN
by Shelly Willetts and Rob Swain
Harrogate Theatre To 6 October 2001
Runs 2hr 40 min One interval
TICKETS 01423 502116
Review Timothy Ramsden 21 September
A thorough plunder of 20th century rock and roll, with quite a few Shakespearean line thrown in to mixed effect.
While we’re waiting for the definitive clown playing Hamlet, Shelly Willetts acts in and Rob Swain directs their rock and roll compilation setting Hamlet in a circus tent.
By doing this they’re risking comparison with a classic of British theatre, namely Bob Carlton’s rock & roll sci-fi Freudian B-movie Tempest, Return to the Forbidden Planet (at present re-touring out of Carlton’s current Hornchurch home-base).
Without Hollywood to provide a half-way house, Willetts and Swain make a raw, often strained transition. The action’s set in the Danish State Circus which has mysteriously taken up residence in Harrogate. Willetts’ Gertie is a fortune-teller who sees her son coming to her tent (= Gertrude’s bedroom in Shakespeare) in her crystal ball. Claudius becomes the new ringmaster Claude, only semi-believably villainous in Edward York’s grimacing performance. And as a protagonist’s sidekick, Horatio loses in translation to a modern-day Horace (Howard Gay).
Guess who’s the origin of the gruff and gay tumblers Ross and Giles? Given this level of invention, it’s unsurprising to learn that the prince himself breaks the name mould as Gordon. Mind you, Matthew Bowyer’s likeable performance is some way from a born Shakespearean speaker.
Carlton set the ball rolling by being cheeky and witty. Harrogate’s piece mainly just clowns around with Hamlet. But it strikes fire at times, as with the Ghostbuster security guards. There’s an hilarious graveyard scene with songs and story wittily combined, while the end works well with Claude literally fed to the lions while Horace faces not Fortinbras but the paparazzi.
And it’s drawing the crowd, a week into the run, receiving not just a standing, but a bouncing, swaying joint-is-jumping ovation thanks to the up-tempo encores. The show itself too often shows the effort of yanking play and songs together. But when it works, believe me, grown men sang along.
Layla: Nicola Bolton
Larry/Rose: Jon Bonner
Gordon: Matthew Bowyer
Ghost/Gravedigger/Giles: Phil Corbitt
Horace: Howard Gay
Mark/Actor: David Gay
Old Polo/Bernard: David Westbrook
Gertie: Shelly Willetts
Claude: Edward York
Director: Rob Swain
Musical Director: Howard Gay
Designer: Paul Colley
Choreographer: Beverley Edmunds
Lighting: Paul Sheard
Sound: S. Charlie Brown
Costumes: Emma Renhard
Circus Skills Director: Goronwy thom
2001-09-24 14:00:29