All's Well That Ends Well is one of Shakespeare's so-called 'problem plays', not easily classified as a comedy or a tragedy, but this production a part of the Travelex season at the National Theatre, posed no problems for me. This is a confidently-acted, stunningly-mounted, assured production which really confirms to me that the NT have hit the ground running with this season of plays.
The programme describes the play as 'Shakespeare Noir' which is quite an apt description for it. The comedy, and there is lots of it, is often underscored by the darker turns of the plot, and there is little frivolity of the 'hey nonny no' type, which can sometimes seem quite glib. The play opens with a girl of little consequence save the knowledge passed down from her physician father, arriving at the court of the King of France and healing him of his ailment. Her reward is to marry the man of her choice, but her chosen n
obleman, Bertram, objects to such a lowly match and sets Helena a seemingly impossible challenge to win his heart and subsequently heads off to war in Italy, but Helena is hot on his heels in order to try and fulfil the deal.
rey and Oliver Ford-Davies. Higgins in particular as Bertram's mother and Helena's employer, the Countess of Rossillion has great command of the stage and Conleth Hill's tragicomic Parolles displays some great comic timing. A special mention should also go to Hasina Haque who holds her own superbly against the 'old hands' in the denouement of the final scenes: she also impressed in England People Very Nice and is someone to watch for the future.
Visually, it is a feast for the eyes: the first half looks like it's been taken straight from the pages of the Brothers Grimm and there is some really evocative use of lighting and silhouettes, the live music also adds to this almost fairytale enviroment. Also worth a mention are the nifty scene-changes which really keep the action moving at a sparky pace and never letting the attention flag.
Last but by no means least, there are lots of sparkly shoes in this production: what more coud you ask for?! At £10 a seat and still with some great availability, you would be hard-pressed to to get better value on the stage at the moment.
Labels: Clare Higgins, Conleth Hill, Elliot Levey, George Rainsford, Hasina Haque, Janet Henfrey, Jolyon Coy, Michael Thomas, Michelle Terry, Oliver Ford Davies, Robert Hastie, Shakespeare
All's Well That Ends Well is one of Shakespeare's so-called 'problem plays', not easily classified as a comedy or a tragedy, but this production a part of the Travelex season at the National Theatre, posed no problems for me. This is a confidently-acted, stunningly-mounted, assured production which really confirms to me that the NT have hit the ground running with this season of plays.
obleman, Bertram, objects to such a lowly match and sets Helena a seemingly impossible challenge to win his heart and subsequently heads off to war in Italy, but Helena is hot on his heels in order to try and fulfil the deal.