Sunday, February 15, 2009

Double, Double

With a double bill, it seems somewhat easier to combine reviews.

Over at That's How the Light Gets In, it's less about getting in depth with either production and simply remarking on the "breathtaking performance," though makes a point to credit Jon Trenchard and Babou Ceesay with stealing the show.

What's On Stage's Michael Hunt believes the productions "cemented the reputation of the all-male theatre company as a fabulous deliverer of William Shakespeare’s plays."

Kudos gets a little confused in reviewing/recapping the shows, at one point referring to Jon Trenchard's portrayal of 'Leah' in Merchant, but still manages to find it's way clear to saying a viewing of the show to be "compulsory" and saying, with regards to Midsummer, "you are unlikely to ever see it done better."

A little more lucid in its praise, The Times celebrates how "The Dream fizzes with invention, agility and boisterous humour too generous to be patronizing," calls Merchant a "brilliant shocker" and trumpets Bob Barrett as the star of the double bill.

The Telegraph more recaps than reviews both shows, but seems to enjoy Dream more than Merchant, taking particular issue with the eye gouging.

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