The Reformation. Spies. Intrigue. The Armada at the door. Brutal torture of those perceived to be enemies of the state at the behest of Queen Elizabeth I.
One in three Jesuit priests are arrested, tortured and executed in front of baying mobs at Tyburn Tree. Paranoia grips the land. Thought crimes are brutally punished.
Into this dangerous, tense world steps young radical genius Robert Southwell. The most celebrated poet of his age, he was the favourite of his cousin, Shakespeare, whose plays are influenced by his work.
But outside the world of literary studies and academia, he is now largely forgotten. Why? Southwell was both a poet of genius and the most subversive of things one could be at the time: a Jesuit priest.
Review by Richard Lambert.
Shakespeare’s Cousin tells an interesting story based largely on real people and events, although there’s plenty of artistic licence along the way. It’s also quite a history lesson about the brutality of religion when mixed with government and royalty in Elizabethan England.
The lighting is good and creates a suitably dark and threatening atmosphere. However, keeping the stage so dim for such long periods becomes tiring on the eyes. A little more contrast would have helped.
The theatre was full, with a mainly older audience. It’s interesting that the battles between Catholics and Protestants in Elizabethan times still attract so much interest today.
The production certainly doesn’t hold back when it comes to violence. Torture takes place right in front of the audience, complete with thumbscrews, screaming and fake blood. The woman sitting next to me didn’t return after the interval, and I did wonder whether it had all become a bit too much for her.
There does seem to be an appetite for this kind of gruesome theatre, particularly when so much entertainment these days feels sanitised or watered down for fear of causing offence. This production certainly isn’t worried about upsetting anyone.
The writing is very much in the style of Shakespeare, with flowery language and long, eloquent speeches. It suits the period, but there are simply too many words. Some scenes go on much longer than they need to, and the story starts to lose its pace.
The final monologue from Shakespeare is a real challenge for the actor, who does his best to keep the energy going. Unfortunately, it just goes on and on. There’s only so much an actor can do when a speech is that long.
With two halves of around an hour each, plus an interval, the evening feels rather stretched. There simply isn’t enough story to fill that amount of time. Some cutting would make a big difference and help keep the audience engaged.
The costumes look the part and work well with the period setting.
Overall, Shakespeare’s Cousin is a bold production that doesn’t shy away from showing the darker side of English history. There’s a fascinating story here, and some strong theatrical moments, but it would benefit from being shorter and getting to the point a little quicker.
Not for the faint-hearted. Bold theatre, be warned!
Cast
Robin Kingsland – Sir Richard Topcliffe
Danny Solomon – Robert Southwell
Alexander (Alex) Townson – Sir Oliver / William Shakespeare
Creatives
Jonathan Moore – Writer and Director
Max Bancroft – Associate Producer / Assistant Director
Gabriel Burns – Lighting and Sound Designer
Violet Gausden – Set Designer / Costume Supervisor
Deb Weston – Specialist Prop Maker
AMDG Productions – Producer
Dates
Previews: 10 & 11 November
, ends 28 November
Venue
White Bear
138 Kennington Park Rd, London SE11 4DJ
Tickets
£23.00 (£18.00 concs)
Performance times
Tuesday–Saturday | 7.30pm