![](https://www.sardinesmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BoW-Digi-Square-jpg.webp)
Show: The Book of Will
Society: Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch
Venue: Queen's Theatre Hornchurch. Billet Lane, Hornchurch, Essex RM11 1QT
Credits: By Lauren Gunderson, directed by Octagon’s Artistic Director, Lotte Wakeham. European premiere. Co-produced by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Octagon Theatre Bolton, and Shakespeare North Playhouse.
Type: Sardines
Author: Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Performance Date: 27/04/2023
The Book of Will
Jacquee Storozynski-Toll | 30 Apr 2023 14:28pm
And thereby hangs a tale
It is the 1620s and what remains of the acting troupe, the King’s Men, are bemoaning their lot in a tavern near the Globe. Will Shakespeare is dead, and as they remember the old days they are interrupted by an over the top Hamlet (Tarek Slater) declaiming a corrupted script. They realise that if they don’t do something, Shakespeare’s work will be forgotten. It is a fact that Shakespeare’s plays were at one time something that could have been lost to the world. The problem is most of his work only exists in the memories of actors. What is more, they were only ever given their own parts of the script. Now versions are appearing all over London that are plagiarised and inaccurate. How to prevent this is an imaginative idea by the playwright, Lauren Gunderson, who would you believe it, happens to be American.
The concept of the play revolves around the manager, John Heminges (Russell Richardson) and the famous Shakespearean actors Henry Condell (Bill Ward) and Richard Burbage (Zach Lee) deciding to track down all the original versions of the plays. In high-energy performances, they do just that, with the help of some copies kept surreptitiously by a clerk Ralph Crane (Tomi Ogbaro).
The production takes place in the round with a minimalist set, whilst various characters appear including the Dark Lady of the sonnets and a drunken and roistering Ben Johnson (Andrew Whitehead).
Along the way, Richard Burbage dies, he is the one who acts out his famous roles at the drop of a hat. He still has most of the parts in his memory, reinforcing the need to find the original versions of the plays. Additionally, the wife of John Heminges dies, the tragedy of which nearly derails the task. How the men finally achieve their aim, is an interesting watch. The cast sit round the table, writing furiously, quoting speeches, arguing and debating. Shakespearian quotes are thrown out with great abandon, actors race around the stage, characters jump up on the table and hurtle in from all directions. Although, it is useful for the audience to recognise the extracts from plays as they ring out, it is not essential
When the folio is pulled together, nobody wants to print it. However, a corrupt blind printer is finally persuaded to do so, as long as he’s kept on the straight and narrow via his son Isaac (Callum Sim).
As the actors debate the various plays, they reflect on life, its tragedies and the futility of unreal drama in the theatre. However, as Henry Condell states, although the situations are unreal, performed by actors, the feeling is real and that is the important thing. The play is as much about life as it is about Shakespeare
As a finale, when the complete works are gathered, title are called out, Lear, Midsummer Night’s Dream, and in rushes Bottom etc., as characters energetically enter and exit as one character, and reappear as another via quick changes. The whole production is very imaginative, I especially liked the printed scripts of Romeo and Juliet hung out to dry on washing lines.
In typical Shakespearian style the play ends with a dance, only this time it is to Young Hearts Run Free with some funky moves, and not to forget the most famous line from a Winter’s Tale, ‘exit pursued by bear.’
The playwright, Lauren Gunderson, is one of the USA’s most widely performed playwrights, best known for her adaptation of The Time Traveller’s Wife. The play is witty and factual, in the same way as Stoppard’s Shakespeare in Love and one of my favourite TV programmes the comedy The Upstart Crow. The play, directed by Lotte Wakeham is an ensemble piece and one that could just be talking heads, zips along, bringing an event to life, merging fact with fiction.
It is a most enjoyable evening at the Queens Theatre, Hornchurch and one not to be missed.
- : admin
- : 27/04/2023