Shakespeare In Love

“He was broke, he was horny, and he was starved for an idea!”. Thus,  the co-writer of the 1998 film Shakespeare In Love, Marc Norman, summed up the general premise of this enchanting creation, in which any historical inaccuracies and suppositions are swept neatly away in favour of a deliciously warm, witty and surprisingly touching comedy. Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard’s ingenious screenplay was handed over to a company of ‘A’-listers, who ran with it, and the resulting concoction helped in no small measure to ensure the film’s critical and commercial success, and an ongoing popularity. It’s a piece very easy to fall in love with, and Lee Hall’s affectionate and equally ingenious 2014 stage adaptation (which to my everlasting regret I missed seeing in London)  exudes a similar sense of joy all round.

So it’s great to report that the Chesil, having been on an absolute roll throughout their 2024/25 season, are currently serving up a thoroughly captivating production of this glorious romp, and yet again, with no shortage of their own ‘A’-listers. First thing to report is that it might be the most spectacular production to date on this small yet ever-adaptable stage, with an attractively elegant setting, plenty of eye-popping costumes, and a 21-strong cast. While one can’t help but wonder, particularly with the hot-weather spell continuing to test us, what the backstage conditions might be like for all concerned, the ease and overall elegance onstage is something to marvel at.

Without giving too much away, this is a fictionalised account of young Will Shakespeare’s alarming bout of writers’ block being suddenly cured by his meeting with the beautiful and enigmatic (to say the least!) Viola de Lesseps. Cue love, intrigue, farce, mistaken identity, some splendid moments of cross-dressing (the year is 1593!), and more zinging one-liners (and even half-liners) than you can shake a stick at. There are also plenty of Stage Politics to laugh (and occasionally gawp) at; and you might be surprised (and hopefully delighted) by the number of Shakespeare’s own recognisable lines, subtly and sometimes cheekily worked into the piece. A witty screenplay has been skilfully adapted into a witty stage play.

Marcus Whitfield’s production flows seamlessly, and with principals also doing duty as Courtiers, has a true Ensemble feel. There’s a freshness to the piece, not least since (and this is said as the highest compliment) there are no attempts to recreate any of the famous performances and interpretations immortalised in the original film. Every performance here onstage is very much its own creation, thus the dialogue comes up as fresh as paint. Arthur Wood and Lauren Grierson are beautifully matched as Will and Viola, each increasingly adorable as the play progresses and their attachment becomes more complex. To be honest, there are more than a few equally adorable (albeit for different reasons) performances on this stage, not least of which are Jonathan Gregory’s gloriously shameless Henslowe, and Peter Andrews’ delightful Mr Fennyman. Nick Belcher is a warm and genial Kit Marlowe, emphasising the genuine bond of friendship between himself and Will, rival playwrights though they be. Alec Walters’ Lord Wessex skilfully hints at an even darker undercurrent, which emphasises Lady Viola’s very real predicament; and Tez Cook’s Ned Alleyn (“up from the Provinces!”) barnstorms gloriously, as funny as Simon Russell Beale at his funniest. (And that’s funny. There’s a “rehearsed death scene” that just has to be seen!) And let’s not forget Tristan Harcom’s performance as Sam, displaying an accomplished vocal agility to sometimes hilarious effect.

It’s ultimately left to Sarah Hawkins’ imperious and all-knowing Queen Elizabeth to resolve the complexities of the plot, and there is both warmth and dignity in her performance. The course of true love never did run smooth, and her answer to the question “Your Majesty, how is this to end?” albeit brief, might just bring a lump to the throat. Even taking into account the fun and laughter of the past two hours, those susceptible to such things might be advised to bring the Kleenex….but there’s no denying the overall delight that’s been served up royally by this company and this production, a fact borne out by the audience at the Sunday matinee, whose cheering applause was still going strong after the company had left the stage. In his programme note, the Director describes the play as “an eloquent and heartfelt love letter to the theatre as a whole….”, and anyone who disagrees with that notion will have to go through me first! If you love the theatre, if you love actors, if you love Shakespeare, or if you just love a great evening out….don’t miss this one.