Naturalistic acting has become the bread and butter of the 21^st Century. The aim of it is to represent real life within the context of a performance, to allow the audience to connect with the story and to pretend for a brief while that everything happening on film or on stage is real. But in a sea of convincing performances (and those attempting to be convincing) comes a theatrical lifesaver that can save the audience from an ocean of bland performances. When executed properly, less naturalistic performances bring new life to theatre. Enter Edmond de Bergerac.

Based on the French play Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmond de Bergerac follows young poet Edmond Rostand, as he struggles to create a theatrical success. We first see his phenomenal flop, with a full house and everyone detesting his work. But after years of struggling to write another play, he is given the chance to write a hit. Through a series of farcical mishaps, Edmond starts to piece together his play, culminating in one grand opening night.

I haven’t enjoyed a piece of theatre this much in a long time. This could easily have been a very simple and dull play, but the ensemble, creatives and crew made sure every element of this performance was magnificent. The immense creativity behind this production is a sight to behold. Even the simplest moments were made special, which is what made this show stand out to me.

What was equally impressive was the beautiful balance of heightened and more believable acting. Everything fitted the production and was both gripping and hilarious. Bergerac has a silly sense of humour, which makes a fantastic change of pace. So many shows aim for naturalism and fall short, but here the heightened performances added to the wonderful story and terrific writing.

The set’s versatility was amazing, and meant (thanks to the superb stage managers) scenes could change almost seamlessly. This was not a bare set either. Complete with balconies, lights and more, it is one of the most interesting sets I’ve seen this year, and will definitely stay in my mind for some time.

I rarely find a show this hard to fault. Other than one slightly on-the-nose joke, I can’t think of anything to criticise about this show. As I’ve said before, The REP produce an astounding range of exceptional and varied plays every year, and this is one of its highlights. If you like something silly but smart, this is definitely a must-see. If I had the chance, I would happily pay to see this show again.   ★★★★★    Jeremy Ulster      22^nd March 2019