Conspiracy concluded

After four successful performances the SBADS production of “The Shakespeare Conspiracy” has reached its unstoppable conclusion.

The audience were treated to amazing effects and impressive performances throughout a play that is bizarre, complex and ever-changing, bringing Shakespeare’s characters into a modern-day struggle for world domination and peppering an up-to-date script with Shakespearean lines and references.

At the heart of Andrew Shepherd’s play is Martin Shakespeare, the Bard’s Last Descendent (note the capitals), who was brought to life by Rob Kidney. He delivered a bravura performance of bafflement, resignation and heartbreak including a full two-page soliloquy (justly applauded) before discovering his inner superhero and saving the world – just an ordinary day for a travel agent from Stratford, really.

In one of those pieces of casting that only happens in am-dram, the most worldly character of Martin’s lusty friend Valentine (or is he Mercutio?) was played by our youngest member of the cast, Dylan Cowper, last seen as innocent Buttons in panto and now playing a sleazy ‘player’ who’s finished off in a disco. Such ability is too good to be wasted, and the versatile Dylan transformed into two versions of Richard III for the remainder of the play, with a cameo as Romeo for good measure.

Eternally love-lorn party girl Jules was played expertly by Bridie Kennerley, using her considerable talent to take her character on a completely convincing emotional rollercoaster through the play as she drew Martin into her world, whether reluctantly or by design, and on to what seemed an inevitably tragic conclusion.

Apparently delighted with the number of her lines – precisely none – Kitty Ford conveyed a chilling range of emotions with only her eyes visible as silent but deadly assassin Tybalt.

Desperately attempting to keep control of Shakespeare’s characters, his job and his dignity, RSC Artistic Director Garfield Oberon was played by Peter Brown, steering the plot and guiding Martin on to his destiny with a mixture of gravitas and desperation, and a (perhaps worryingly) realistic spell as a drunken down-and out before returning to crowd-rousing form.

Helping Garfield – some of the time – is Puck, who switches allegiences more swiftly than they can put a girdle round the earth, played by Gracie Pearson-Link with impishness and wit.

Tristram Grevatt played the self-styled “villain of the piece” Iago, and evidently relished playing a devious and mercurial character once again. From ‘falsely’ imprisoned lifer to very nearly triumphant RSC director via a spot of incest, the scheming character brimmed with malice under an urbane exterior that apparently drew comparisons to lots of films and plays that Tristram has never seen: he says it’s all in your mind.

Literal bastard Edmund was transformed into a self-help group running leather-clad biker by Mark Vickers, taking his character from reformed criminal back to bastardy with a glint in his eye and swaggering self-assurance undercut with suprising self-doubt. Another great performance from a man who only joined SBADS by accident!

Shockingly revealed as Iago’s sister/lover, Lady Antonia Macbeth was vividly portrayed by Poppy Morgan, beginning as a self-confident counterpart to Iago and gradually descending into wild-eyed madness and rage that was completely convincing and utterly compelling.

Whilst most characters stand alone, Beatrice and Benedick come as a pair (despite what Beatrice says), and Shakespeare’s most famous bickering couple were captured by Sarah Lannin and Dan Thomas to such perfection that they were asked how long they had known each other by a member of the audience – they first met at the auditions, of course. Spouting a torrent of Shakespearean abuse at each other and provoking Martin to discover his Shakesperean roots, the pair delighted the audience with their repartee whenever they appeared.

Swirling around the stage was an ever-changing roster of clubbers, office workers and various guises of weird sisters, all played by five members of the cast effecting frantic transformations backstage between scenes. Rachel Prince, Katy Meek and Lily Style took the ‘sisterly’ roles, whether as sinister witches or genre-bending Moscow-bound Three Sisters, while Jess Munday also played Helena and Cleopatra, and she and Daisy Pollak-Hobbs added stagehand to their responsibilities, with the latter also playing Hamlet to boot. All five turned all their roles into fully-formed and distinctive characters that added much to the play.

A large cast of rare talent for an amateur production: and a complex play to stage. The production was selected and directed by Tim McGill, who brings a deep understanding of theatre with an abundance of technical skill, and who brought all sorts of effects wizardry, including complex video projections and an ambitious lighting plot, to the South Brent stage to create an extraordinary experience. Tim’s enthusiasm was infectious and he came up with an ever-growing set of concepts and ideas that transformed the script into a triumphant success: SBADS never brings its directors on stage for the curtain call, but we nonetheless applaud him wholeheartedly for his magnificent work.

The lighting and effects devised by Tim would not be possible without our ever-dedicated lighting team of Adam Cook and Mason Eastley, who spent hours rigging lights and even more ‘up in the box’, with Jack Chequer assisting.

AJ Kempthorne worked tirelessly behind the scenes getting everyone and everything in place at the right times as Stage Manager, shepherding all the actors and hefty props in the very limited space back stage in unflappable style. Alistair Cuthbertson acted as ‘continuity’ in rehearsals to keep our cast on track with their lines.

With styles ranging from Merrie England to nightclub, Val Meek and Cathie Pannell conjured up all sorts of costumes, with Tim McGill and the cast themselves adding to the mix. Cathie and Val have been in charge of our Wardrobe for longer than they care to mention and swear (again) that this will be their last production. We heartily salute their dedication, keen eyes, skill and endless patience over many years – thank you both!

Away from the glamour of the stage, but deeply appreciated by our audience and society, our front of house team was seamlessly led by Paul and Emma Ream for the first time, with Steve Woods managing the bar and Greg Wall and John Giles managing the raffle.

All in all, an ambitious production ably staged by SBADS to an appreciative (if occasionally baffled) audience, and a show that we look back on with pride and with our grateful thanks to everyone who took part and helped in any way, and to our audience. All this could really be summed up by feedback from a member of our audience: “I didn’t know am dram could be so good”.