‘achieves the impossible by improving on Shakespeare’s most-neglected play’ ★★★★

By swapping the aristocratic setting of the original play for a succession of British secondary schools, and not to mention populating the result with a wonderful ensemble cast, Evan L. Barker’s adaptation of THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA achieves the impossible by improving on Shakespeare’s most-neglected play.

Staging the play in the first place is a statement of ambition since, although it features examples of The Bard’s best traits such as excellent wordplay and intricate schemes in pursuit of love and power, it’s also notorious for showcasing some of his less celebrated habits, in particular inexplicable character motivations and a poor communication of time and place. But this is exactly where this adaptation excels through its novel school setting, fleshing out character dynamics in brief asides during scene transitions and via graffiti on the school chairs, while simultaneously communicating time and place through the ever-present blackboard on stage which rounds out an inspired set design by Hana Sofia.

And in this tale of love and betrayal, it simply makes more sense that the characters be secondary school students and their authority figures well-meaning parents and school principals (played here brilliantly by Gemskii) rather than Dukes or Emperors. The betrayals and passions, the longing for agency, the puppy love and inevitable heartbreak; it’s all there and translates wonderfully. Additionally, there’s a clear desire to have fun with the whole thing, epitomized by the adapting of the original play’s bandits into modern day military cadets (Bradley Luckett & Rosanna Vikberg) who had by far the best entrance of the night and left the audience in stitches just from how they marched across the stage.

It’s thanks to strong supporting characters like these that the central roles truly shine. The friendship and rivalry between Proteus (Paul Surel) and Valentine (Hugo Papiernik) is the core of the play and the pair match each other in their impeccable and impassioned performances, while the more heartfelt portrayal of Proteus’ spurned lover Julia (Tor Leijten) lends the play a slight dash of tragedy that completes its highly effective emotional pacing. A pacing that, needless to say, was not present in the original and that the director and cast are once more to be commended for lifting out of the text.

The only discernible issues of the piece arrive just as things are coming to a close. In the original text, Proteus’ schemes are ultimately frustrated so he decides to force himself upon Valentine’s betrothed, Sylvia, only to be interrupted by Valentine and Julia. Despite the depravity of Proteus’ actions, the characters all promptly kiss and make up, ending the play. Not so in this production: the rescue occurs, but this time the altercation becomes physical, all characters switching to plain English as they confront Proteus and actually hold him accountable for his actions, and surprisingly he pushes back as well.

Rather than being a simple Iago-like enigma, the Proteus of this production articulates the insecurities and hurt that motivated his actions, making for a wonderfully raw and abrupt ending that takes you completely by surprise. A striking and effective innovation upon the original but one that still feels rushed as it isn’t clear how Proteus managed to corner Sylvia in the first place, especially considering that the scene just before had her being escorted to Valentine by two of his newfound cadet friends. What happened along the way? A scene feels missing here, and spoils the otherwise ideal pacing the production had achieved up to this point.

This aside, the ending hits its mark well and satisfactorily wraps up an accomplished production. Considering how rarely this play is staged, and still more rarely staged as well as this, anyone with a fondness for Shakespeare owes it to themselves to see this as soon as they can.

BO15 Productions Ltd and The Messy Kind Collective Present:

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (& SONNET 104)

Baron’s Court Theatre

27th June to 2nd July 2023

Box Office https://www.baronscourttheatre.com/

Extra Dates:   

·      Cardiff, The Gate Arts Centre- Fri. July 7

·      Stratford Upon-Avon, RSC's The Dell- Sun. July 16th

·      Birmingham, MAC's The Hexagon Theatre, Sat. August 12^th

Written by William Shakespeare

Adapted and directed by Evan L. Barker

CAST:

Valentine - Hugo Papiernik

Proteus - Paul Surel

Julia - Tor Leijten

Sylvia - Lavinia Grippa

Lance - Harry Rose

Lucetta / Thurio - Izzi McCormack-John

Speed / Host - Alun Rees

Duke / Antonio - Gemskii

Fisher (1st Cadet) - Bradley Luckett

Sydney (2nd Cadet) - Rosanna Vikberg

Reviewed by Harry Conway