UK Theatre Network

A horse, a horse, a kingdom for a ….mare?

Did William Shakespeare actually write all those immortal classics? Tens of thousands of books have been published trying to prove that Shakespeare was just a front man who in fact never wrote a single word of those plays because he could not have had the necessary insight and education. The prize-winning play Shakespeare Incorporated by American author Don Fried presents one of many theories on who really wrote Hamlet and King Lear. We meet authors who are rumoured to have had some part in writing Shakespeare’s works – Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, Ben Jonson, Edward de Vere, Mary Sydney, and William Stanley.

This is by no means a serious drama although it helps to know a few things about Shakespeare and his work to understand all the jokes. William Shakespeare, a country bumpkin with an affinity to horses, works as an actor and is trying to become a writer when he encounters Christopher Marlowe. Marlowe does not think Shakespeare’s writing has any merit but agrees to work for the untalented lad to surpass his financial crisis. Enter Edward de Vere and William Stanley. De Vere is aching to be a writer but he does not dare publish anything under his own name. He is looking for a front man and finds him in Will Shakespeare. Shakespeare thereby becomes a renowned poet and world famous -  even Queen Elizabeth is dying to meet him! Yet not everybody is happy with Shakespeare’s success. Francis Bacon, personal literary advisor to the Queen, suspects that something is rotten.

The ensemble is impressive throughout. Anthony Kernan plays Marlowe with unbound energy. De Vere (Filip Krenus) and the highly strung, anxious Stanley (Patrick James) form a hilarious comic duo. Karl Dobby is Francis Bacon in white make up and a garish costume – his near hysterics later changing to quiet calculation and menace. Tyler Coombes convincingly plays the more austere Ben Jonson, clad all in black but equally fascinated by intrigue. The set design (Nika Khitrova) and the beautiful costumes (Valentina Ida) take the audience back to Shakespearean times.   

With Shakespeare Inc. Second Skin Theatre break from their tradition of dark and intense theatre and take a wild romp through Elizabethan England. Andy McQuade directs this highly entertaining production.

2 March – 21 March, Tue – Fri 7.30 pm, Sat and Sun 7.00 pm

Tickets: £ 12 / £ 10 (concessions)

BOX OFFICE: 020 7704 6665

The Rosemary Branch, 2 Shepperton Road, London N1 3DT