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Theatre listings > Sweet William - Tour. Playwright - Alan Plater. Director - Barrie Rutter. Composer - Conrad Nelson. Designers - Giuseppe Billi and Emma Barrington-Binns. Cast - here. 2005 Tour Dates and Times - here . Company - Northern Broadsides Company Website.. Seen to review at Citizens Theatre Glasgow on 13 May 2005. Run Time - 2hr 40mins with 20 minute interval. Reviewer - Natasha Jenkins. Theatre-phobe converted. "If you ask me, there isn't enough Northern Folk Rap in the theatre." My brother eyes twinkle as he teases me yet again for making him go to the theatre and not the pub. The idea of taking a complete theatre-phobe to a play let alone one by a company famous for its Shakespearian productions seem to be a move designed to cause irritation in an already annoyed sibling but I have a sneaking suspicion that he will in fact leave the Citizens' a convert. And the play I'm convinced will produce this transformation? Sweet William. A play written for Northern Broadsides after Founder/Director Barry Rutter read a comment in the newspapers saying that Alan Platter had always fancied a night out on the tiles with Shakespeare's Rude Mechanicals. (Great minds must think alike, eh Mate!) Rutter challenged him to write a play about it and "had it sorted out in an afternoon." The whole production has this feel to it, refreshingly direct, open, funny and not a little irreverent. At its heart in a love for Shakespeare but also a challenge to the myth and performance of Shakespeare as the God of English Literature/ high class culture. Any illusion to this style of production that you may get from the rich setting is broken by the music brilliantly composed by Conrad Wilson. The rap - Wee Willy Shakers from Stratford Town- although not the average way of talking about the Bard does in fact bring the audience in to a world that is organised by how Will sees and writes about the regulars at the newly named Boars Head. Life is seen to imitate art as the characters worlds change as the art of Will's writing begins to take off. The aim of bringing Shakespeare's characters to life works; but Plater and the Broadsiders allow you to do more that simply impress your friend with the obscure Shakespearian references you understand and they didn't- they show you a full and original character not just an echo of a past play. This is the production's real strength - not only is it very funny but you see the performers enjoying themselves and their energy and belief in their roles is quite simply infectious. The characters may be "second cousins" to their source material but even a new theatre convert left saying that the actor's love of the play made them appear "Just so so real". ©Natasha Jenkins 13th May 2005- Published on EdinburghGuide.com Cast - Barrie Rutter - Jack, Sarah Parks - Nell, Max Rubin - Simon, Richard Standing - Peter, Claire Storey - Jane, Andrew Vincent - Mac, Andrew Cryer - Matthew, Conor Ryan - Mark, Ruth Alexander-Rubin - Bella, Simon Holland Roberts - Nicholas, Conrad Nelson - Will, Zoe Lambert - Kate, Guy Parry - Thomas and Gary Skelton - Ralph. 2005 Tour Details of Broadsides' production of The Comedy of Errors by Shakespeare and Sweet William by Alan Plater. Tour begins 17 - 26 Feb HALIFAX Viaduct Theatre 01422 255266. 1 - 5 March GUILDFORD Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 01483 44 00 00. 8 - 12 March BURY ST EDMUNDS Theatre Royal 01284 769505. 14 - 19 March NEWCASTLE UNDER LYME New Vic 01782 717962. 21 - 26 March LEEDS West Yorkshire Playhouse 0113 213 7700. 4 - 9 April LIVERPOOL Everyman Theatre 0151 709 4776. 13 - 16 April BUXTON Buxton Opera House 0845 12 72190. 19 - 23 April SALFORD The Lowry 0870 787 5790. 26 - 30 April LONDON Greenwich Theatre 020 8858 7755. 3 - 7 May RICHMOND (North Yorks) Georgian Theatre Royal 01748 825 252. 10 - 14 May GLASGOW Citizens Theatre 0141 429 0022. 18 - 21 May ISLE OF MAN Gaiety Theatre 01624 694555. 25 - 28 May OLLERTON (Notts) Thoresby Riding Hall 0115 941 9419. 31 May - 4 Jun PORTSMOUTH New Theatre Royal 0239 264 9000. 6 - 11 Jun SCARBOROUGH Stephen Joseph Theatre 01723 370541. Tour ends. Theatre Editor, Thelma Good's e-mail is thelma@edinburghguide.com Although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in these pages, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. Theatre listings >
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