LIV: Sapphic Shakespeare by Tanieth Kerr at Old Red Lion 5-6 August, & Hen & Chickens 17-19 August
‘a thoughtful, intelligent reimagining of Twelfth Night, anchored by two skilled performers’ ★★★
LIV: Sapphic Shakespeare is a modern, two-handed retelling of Twelfth Night exploring themes of identity, love, grief, and gender. Poetic and lyrical, the text is delivered by both actors with intelligence, precision, and clear intent. The heightened language never belittles the audience; instead, it enhances the inclusivity of the piece.
Set in a graveyard, a shadow of grief lingers—especially for Lady Liv (Beth Birss), who remains in constant proximity to her brother’s grave. The simplicity of the set feels deliberate, allowing the words to command the space. While I appreciate the decision not to over-embellish, I found myself wishing Lady Liv’s relationship to this space was more deeply explored. There was a wonderful moment early on when Birss clings to the grave, it was incredibly subtle but really highlighted the characters loss. As her private sanctuary (or place that one thinks of as a private sanctuary, Duke and Press withstanding), and the one place she can be with her brother, it could have carried greater emotional stakes. This was a missed opportunity to heighten tension and show more dimensions to Liv beyond love and grief, an example being when she has a slight rant at the grave, everything physically was incredibly still, like I was watching screen acting as opposed to theatre.
At times, the beauty of the text eclipsed the emotional weight of the situation. The pacing rarely shifted, and without the natural signposts of Shakespeare’s verse, the emotional beats were less clearly structured. Vocally, Birss is compelling, particularly when she allows cracks in Liv’s composed exterior. Those rare moments of rawness—when the polished sheen of status and poetry falls away—are deeply affecting.
Vi/Rio (played by Tanieth Kerr, who also wrote and produced the show) is energetic and charmingly guarded. The chemistry between the two actors is evident, rooted in real trust, but their physical relationship could be more impactful. Often, both remain quite static in separate areas on stage. If this was a deliberate choice, it nonetheless reduced the sense of playful tension—the “will they, won’t they” energy—until the eventual payoff felt underpowered. I think a game of ‘chicken’ would be incredibly beneficial to both performers.
Kerr’s writing is elegant, lifting the language with pace and precision, and her moments of vulnerability are striking. A more varied vocal journey could, however, strengthen her character arc and make those vulnerable moments resonate even more.
In all, Liv: Sapphic Shakespeare is a thoughtful, intelligent reimagining, anchored by two skilled performers. With more dynamic use of space and pacing, it could deepen its emotional impact without losing any of its poetic beauty.
Well worth the watch and although its run at the Old Red Lion is over, you can catch the show at the Hen and Chickens (17th,18th & 19th August at 7:30pm).
Tickets can be found here: LIV: Sapphic Shakespeare | Unrestricted View : The Hen & Chickens Theatre
Performers: Beth Birss, Tanieth Kerr
Directed by: Katy Livsey
Reviewed by Heather Antonia
