The great and the good stepped out for this evening which was the finale for the Shakespeare Oxford 2016 season. Events have been taking place all over Oxford this year to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. Libraries, nightclubs and parks have opened their doors (and gates) for spoken word, reading events and dance to remind us of the Bard’s great influence and resonance today. The North Wall was the venue for last night’s performance – a lively mix of poetry, song, sketches and dance with a (sometimes loosely) Shakespearian theme. Professional performers were interspersed with community groups to echo the range of work that had taken place throughout the year.
The evening commenced with Musical Youth Company Oxford (MYCO), dressed in black with huge smiles, giving a rousing Another Op’nin’, Another Show from the musical, Kiss Me Kate. This is a teenage musical theatre group who perform at The Oxford Playhouse and other professional venues in Oxford and always maintain very high standards. Then we were straight in to sonnets and poems performed by the theatrical legend, Jill Freud and Dominic Marfham, hot from the Globe’s recent international tour of The Merchant of Venice. Shakespeare’s verse was always read beautifully but there were occasional contemporary references made in the staging, as when Gertrude and Claudius are talking to Hamlet, who does not respond but turns to the audience, texting on a mobile phone.
Highlights of the evening included two comedy songs, marvellously performed by Garth Bardsley and Ben Parry who often collaborate musically and have their own works performed and recorded around the world. On this occasion the songs were both from the witty Cole Porter (Brush up your Shakespeare and How’s Your Romance). Phyllida Hancock, an actress who has performed with the RSC showed off her mezzo singing voice and comic skills in The Crossword Song. The second half opened with a Shakespearian quiz with teams consisting of the celebrities and a bonus Professor Emma Smith, leading Shakespeare expert. This was hosted by Will Gompertz, the BBC Arts correspondent, who had a super rapport with the audience and certainly has another career waiting for him! The quiz, with much audience participation went on much longer than billed, meaning that the show was late coming down, but no one was complaining. The night ended with Our revels have ended . . ., a fitting exit speech and the audience went suitably wild in response. ★★★☆☆ Karin André 7th November 2016
