I was most excited to see this play out of our wonderful lineup of shows we saw this summer, and I’m very glad we ended our program with such a funny, delightful play. I have to say, I was worried that I would have a hard time paying attention to the show knowing I would have a long night of travel ahead of me but I was completely engrossed in the show from the start. It made me forget all my concerns, as a good play ought to. Part of the reason for this, and why I was so eager to see the show, was because of how much I love the film version. I couldn’t help but begin to compare the two, and I was pleased to realize that there was no reason to do so; the play and the film are entirely separate entities, each likable for their own reasons, with the common ground being Tom Stoppard’s clever script. He has such a knack for giving traditional literature fresh, modern twists. I was laughing the whole time, from the witty references to Shakespeare’s works to the slapstick humor of Lord Wessex being stuffed under the stage. I thought the actors played their roles beautifully, with a personality that made them relatable even while being from centuries ago. And I thought the set was rendered very well. They didn’t have much space, but by moving that balcony they created a convincing Globe theater. One effect I especially liked was the sound of water while they were supposed to be in a boat. They could have just added that sound, or did it offstage, but it reminded me that at that time, in the Globe, there would be someone creating the sound effect by hand. I thought it was a nice touch.
If there was one thing I could critique, it was how much of a role Christopher Marlowe (David Oakes) played. It was much bigger than the role in the film, and I think it’s more historically accurate to have them as more rivals and contemporaries than close friends. But since neither the film nor the play is really historically accurate, it doesn’t really matter. I just personally felt like their relationship was a bit overdone. Having Marlowe basically give Shakespeare (Tom Bateman) the whole premise of Romeo and Juliet just made Shakespeare look kind of dopey. It was all good fun, though, and I’m pleased I left London on that high note.
An American Student in London 