Speis

Just sent off a piece to one of the college mags. It was a theatre review of an all-male production of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. I had already agreed to write the piece when I realised that I had no interest or aptitude for drama critiques. I was about five minutes away from sending this as my review when I decided I'd better not scare off the editor with my first piece.

One for posterity:

Overheard in the Abbey Theatre, 9/10/05:

1. What’s this one about?

2. Says here it’s called The Winter’s Tale. It’s about some king who lets jealousy over his wife tear his-

1. -quiet, it’s starting!

2. Suit yourself.

1. It’s a bit dark, isn’t it?

2. Must be one of them tragedies.

1. I like the costumes. Oh, who’s that woman? She looks like a man.

2. Em, it is a man. It’s an all-male production.

1. That’s a funny idea.

2. Well, that’s how they were originally performed in Shakespeare’s day.

1. I’ll say this for him, he’s not half-bad in those heels. Why’s that fella in his pyjamas playing with a doll?

2. That’s the king’s son. I think the puppets represent how the characters are at the whims of the gods.

1. That was good, wasn’t it? Very grim. Pretty short too, eh? Let’s go and have a choc ice.

2. Hang on, I don’t think it’s finished. Nobody’s leaving.

1. That’s strange. What else can they do? They’ve already killed half the cast.

2. Come on, the lights are going down. Let’s see what happens.

1. This is like a different play. It’s more like a comedy now. That man’s not wearing any clothes. And look at that one, he’s got leather trousers. Who are all these new characters?

2. Must have been drafted in to replace the dead ones.

1. Look, we’re back in that spooky castle again.

2. That’s better.

1. Wait, that bit didn’t make a lot of sense.

2. Well, to be honest, neither did the wild bear attack.

1. Oh, is it over this time?

2. Yeah, definitely. The lights are coming up.

1. Did you like it?

2. I did. You?

1. Yes, I thought the director used the atmospherics and symbolism of the first half to enhance the sense of impending doom, while giving the actors full freedom to inhabit their roles, in turn setting up the alteration in mood to the light pastoral comedy, which acted as a counterpoint to the gloom and tragedy of the first half, before neatly joining both moods to supply the audience with an upbeat ending, which in turn is undercut by the director to give an ambivalence to the characters’ happiness.

2. I liked the dancing. Come on, let’s get that choc ice.

I was really tempted. Next time, he says wistfully.