Prague Fringe 2017
Twelfth Night Reimagined
The graduate players of the Australian Shakespeare Company
Genre: Cabaret, Classical and Shakespeare
Venue: Malostranska Beseda
Festival: Prague Fringe
Low Down
The welcome return of the graduate players of the Australian Shakespeare Company for their second run at the Prague Fringe after last year’s very successful Much Ado About Nothing – The Musical
Review
It was so lovely to have one’s spirits lifted to such great heights by the Graduate Players of the Australian Shakespeare company.I have an immediate and unmitigated love for each and every one of these guys and so will you. It is preposterously early in the day to call ‘winner of best in festival’ but I will be surprised if this show doesn’t win the hearts of everyone who is lucky enough to see it.
I feel like I can’t get this news out fast enough since tonight’s show was tragically less than half full. This show deserves to be sold out every night.
Okay. Now let me tell you why…
Derek Jarman’s Jubilee comes to mind – Ken Russell’s Tommy comes to mind and The Rocky Horror Picture Show comes to mind. Even George Dunning’s Yellow Submarine Comes to mind! Right from the gay (happy) musical ‘intro’ to the wonderfully subtle, reimagined ending, the audience are taken on a ride that would have the hardest of Shakespeare’s high school critics cheering for more.
It’s a bit of a cliche but I have not felt that same ache in my cheeks from smiling since my wedding day.
Despite my cinematic entertainment references this production feels the way a comedy might have been presented back in ye olde days of the original Old Vic. It was loud, brash, colourful, irreverent and completely on point.
If you don’t know or have forgotten the story I recommend a little swotting up as the one hour telling of the story comes hard and fast. Rather than upset the tale however this restriction only adds to the delicious, madcap experience that is Twelfth Night Reimagined.
The costumes are marvellous, the songs are memorable and powerfully delivered, the energy is palpable and the players love of Shakespeare is sparklingly clear.
Familiar pop songs make the occasional appearance but more often than not the dialogue or lyrics are directly adapted from the original text with some choice alterations and original music.
It would be nigh on impossible to choose a favourite character from this incredible and tight knit cast but if I had to choose I would take home with me the hilariously over zealous police lady with the whistle and moustache.
Go go go!
