Author: Derek Briggs

THE HYPOCRITE at The Swan, Stratford

★★★☆☆ The title suggested a new take on Moliere by Hull born writer Richard Bean – who came to the fame with Made in Dagenham and One Man, Two Guvnors. There are similarities, but this is bawdy, full-throttle farce with a leading character who delights in openly demonstrating the way he plays one side against the other . . . There’s a great comedy here struggling to get out: meanwhile the irreverence, energy and zest of this production still leaves you smiling.

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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA by the RSC at Stratford

★★★☆☆ As the name suggests: the relationship between the title characters is key to the play. When as in this production it fails to ignite, when history’s first great love celebrities seem like strangers, 2 hrs 55 mins can seem a very long time. Never, however, when Josette Simon’s captivating Cleopatra is frolicking on stage.

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JULIUS CAESAR at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford

★★★★☆ Where else could Boris reach for a historical parallel when politically carved up on the way to No.10? Here it is Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar in a riveting, memorable production, based on 2,000 year old history as interpreted 400 years ago, to provide an eternally relevant treatise upon power and its abuse.

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PYGMALION on tour

★★★☆☆ Director Sam Pritchard projects Shaw’s play into what he calls Pygmalion-land, a floating time zone swinging between Edwardian manners, video inserts, voice sampling and hip-hop. But traditionalists: please continue reading. The play is full of current relevance . . . So it’s two cheers for innovative effort, amidst regrets about the missing period elegance.

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SNOW IN MIDSUMMER at The Swan, Stratford on Avon

★★★☆☆ The time is now, the place is a remote Chinese factory town. A metallic café stage setting with two landings, flashes and throbs with digital lighting and percussive music. But the action played out assumes the co-existence of an eternal spirit world, alongside the Chinese capitalist take on communism.

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