"It's everything you want Shakespeare to be"

There Ought to Be Clowns recently made the annual pilgrimage to Guilford to catch Twelfth Night. In a thoughtful review that trumpets the success of the ensemble as the true defining feature over the company, rather than their single-gender status, the final verdict was that the production "it's funny, it's sexy, it's moving [...] it's everything you want Shakespeare to be."

The Guilford Dragon agrees, saying Propeller "has once again managed to bring sophistication, modernisation and sheer genius to its production of this Shakespeare classic." Special attention is paid to the use of the ensemble in the box tree scene and Chris Myles' performance as Malvolio is "brilliant."

Emily Gorton expected an all-male cast to signal a traditional approach, but instead found "the imaginative use of space, accompanying music created by the actors on stage and an unreserved amount of nudity gave the piece new edge." Ben Allen and Gary Shelford are both mentioned for the "mastery" of their performances and the review tracks how the juxtapositions of light and dark are woven through the show.

The Public Reviews gave the production five stars, pointing to the enthusiastic response of a younger audience, lingering on the opening moments, and again praising Ben Allen (in "important earrings") and Gary Shelford's performances as Olivia and Maria.

ReviewsGate calls it "one of the best 'Twelfth Nights' [...] seen in recent years", praising the performances of Joseph Chance, Gary Shelford, Christopher Heyward, Liam O'Brien, Vincent Leigh, John Dougall and Chris Myles.

The British Theatre Guide sums up the production as "most wonderful." Like some of the others, the opening impression of the set and production atmosphere is discussed along with a number of highlighted performances, particularly Ben Allen, Gary Shelford and Joseph Chance.

The review on EastHampshire.org has nothing but glowing praise for all aspects of the productions, explaining how the fluidity of the scenic design, the music, the chorus, the use of physicality and a number of excellent performances such as Ben Allen, Gary Shelford, Vincent Leigh, John Dougall and Chris Myles all came together to give the production "a perfect balance" of theatricality and nuance.

And, finally, WhatsOnStage.com' five star review finds the ensemble "sparks and fizzes with each other as though it's playing with electricity," never shying away from the play's darker elements as it still maintains the comedy (a combination exemplified in Vincent Leigh's "sterling" performance as Sir Toby Belch).  [e]

Enchanting and Enthralling

One Stop Arts makes it's feeling known right from the top: "Propeller are one of the most exciting companies around, and their approach to Shakespeare is exactly what the industry needs." The four-star review of The Winter's Tale calls Tony Bell "hilariously lecherous," Robert Hands' performance is "inspired," Chris Myles "completely owns the part of Camillo" and Vince Leigh is "full of gravitas as Paulina."

Journal Live was slightly disappointed when the show came to Newcastle, but The Shields Gazette caught the same leg of the tour found it "enchanting and enthralling."

Between the Acts offers a short reflection on the cross-dressing of Propeller's Winter's Tale and links to a more lengthy discussion of the effective disconnect achieved between actor and character when men play women.  [e]

"Strongly physical, highly emotional, fast paced and visually innovative"

Diss Express found Henry V and The Winter's Tale "strongly physical, highly emotional, fast paced and visually innovative. Dugald Bruce-Lockhart "carried his regal role with authority" and "[h]is Crispin Day speech was mesmerising and uplifting," Robert Hands played Leontes "with powerful emotion" and Karl Davies stood out in both plays, portraying a Catherine with "delightful humour" and "shining" as the Young Shepherd.  (Norwich)

Blogger Jennifer Potter recorded her reactions to Propeller's return to the Watermill, articulating some of what makes Propeller such an exceptional company.

The two shows drew praise from ABC Perth, which lauded how "Director Edward Hall frames the words in perfect context; in some ways, he rescues scenes that might be overlooked [...] and gives them new clarity and focus" and points to the The Winter's Tale as proof "every Propeller actor is a born comic."

Blogger Cameron Woodhead saw the shows in Perth and looks closely in his review of the female performances by Karl Davies, Richard Dempsey and Vince Leigh as well as providing some key details about each production in a review that concluded they were a "Perth Festival highlight."

Speaking of Perth, here is the program for Henry V and The Winter's Tale from the Perth Festival, which can be downloaded as a PDF.  [e]

The Bard Boys

The Guardian's Theatre Blog briefly revisited the debate on all-male casts before touching on a number of other things happening on the boards around England, including the status of Arts Council funding.  [e]

"Not only a modern production, but a modern play"

A couple of interviews with Propeller's director, Ed Hall. While in New Zealand, he spoke to the Listener about returning to Henry V and The Winter's Tale as well as his own background and his approach to Shakespeare's plays, specifically the company choice to "use touchstones and create surreal worlds because the plays are surreal – not naturalistic." Back in England, he shared some time with  Time & Leisure, explaining how he chose the shows as well as touching on the army training behind Henry and the decision to use only male actors.  [e]

Storytellers

Boycotting Trends' great interview with Chris Myles covers a wide range of topics including Propeller's social aspects, the all-male casting, touring and the subtle connections between the current productions of Henry V and The Winter's Tale.  [e]

"Actors have a real love affair with Propeller"

An article from 2005 investigates Propeller's democratic structure and its ability to foster a group of committed actors. Speaking with James Tucker and Simon Scardifield, the article traces back to the company's first staging of The Winter's Tale and looks at men playing women, the collaborative nature of forming a production and what it is that inspires loyalty from Propeller's casts.  [e]

Catch-up

Getting to some older posts...

From Australia, The Spectator takes a look at both productions and how they hold up under single-gender casting. The Winter's Tale poses some reservations, but

On the other hand, the final scene, one of the most difficult and most moving things in the whole of Shakespeare, is beyond praise. Ed Hall articulates it flawlessly with great stillness and sweeping surprise and depth of feeling. It reminds us that, whatever its flaws, Propeller has an empathy for Shakespeare that carries it across gulfs and up mountains.

Furthermore, "The Propeller Henry V is finer still and the production exhibits a ruthless brilliance of conception that is utterly consistent with the masculine prowess and muscle of this supremely warlike play, drenched in glamour and blood."

Writing for his blog, David Zampatti calls Henry V "the best Henry V I'm ever likely to see." Dugald Bruce-Lockhart " looks and sounds like he was born to throw himself headlong at an enemy, and that’s what his men, and we, react to" and he is "s surrounded by actors made for their parts. Chris Myles and Dominic Thorburn, Exeter and Westmoreland, look, sound and feel like men who command divisions, Nicholas Asbury, as Mountjoy the French Herald, a man who stands for his liege. As Fluellen, Tony Bell is as charismatic and shifty as was his Autolycus in the Winter's Tale."

As for The Winter's Tale, it is "a gorgeous looking, beautifully spoken and often riotously staged production." Robert Hands offers an "outstanding Leontes [who] raves in his magnificent derangement" and Tony Bell is "as appealing and appalling a rogue as Shakespeare ever slid onto a stage." Even so, the call for female actors is once again sounded.

Before they got to New Zealand, Stuff had a chat with Ed Hall on the settings of the plays, how both address questions of honour and (of course) a bit about the all-male aspect.

This Is Kent previews Propeller's arrival in Canterbury this past weekend.

Reviewing for The Telegraph, Dominic Cavendish muses that "while the lusty commitment of this band of brothers isn’t in doubt, the value of the project, in its current gender-biased form, perhaps is." Even with that, Henry V picks up four stars and The Winter's Tale three, while the focus remains firmly on the value of an all-male company.  [e]

Fighting Form

Again addressing the productions through an examination of their single-gender casting, Michael Coveney writes about Propeller's double bill for Theatre News Online. The Winter's Tale struggles under the convention, though still producing a production that is "lucid and extremely entertaining." Michael Pavelka's design for both shows is highly prais, as is the music. On the acting side, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart "beats out any Henry V [Coveney's] even seen outside Alan Howard and Kenneth Branagh." Robert Hands' Leontes and Tony Bell's "enjoys himself enormously" in his triple duty as Fluellen-Mistress Quickly-Autolycus.  [e]

The Boys' Club

Propeller's double-feature gets four stars from the Daily Mail. The review concentrates on the general tones of the show, highlighting Henry V's "loutish" quality and "startling, still and elegant finale" of The Winter's Tale. "Dugald Bruce-Lockhart’s ferocious, but nimble and composed Henry, is a regular bloke: proud, earthy and emotional" and Tony Bell contributes to "terrific fun" of Bohemia.

The Yorkshire Post is similarly smitten with The Winter's Tale, also giving it four stars and finding the production "utterly beguiling" and appreciating the effect of casting men as women, such as Vince Leigh's strong Paulina.

Finally, while on the topic of all-male casts, The Star talks with Nick Asbury about Propeller's single-gender casting. Whatever reservations they might have had, however, were not enough from giving The Winter's Tale a glowing review, saying the production "breathes fresh new life" into a sometimes problematic play and showcasing fine performances from Robert Hands, Richard Dempsey, Nick Asbury and Tony Bell.  [e]

A Man's World

Sheffield Telegraph spotlights Richard Dempsey in looking at The Winter's Tale, talking with the actor about playing Hermione and Propeller's ensemble environment.  [e]

Battle of the Sexes

Propeller is cited in two recent articles examining all-male casting and whether it is a sexist practice. Jo Caird "[doesn't] really see how Propeller's all-male policy can be justified" and goes on to outline the underrepresentation of women in theatre, while The Guardian comes down on the other side, concluding "single-sex casting remains one of the most effective ways of opening up the gender politics debate in classic plays."  [e]

All-Male Double-Take in Australia

Ahead of their arrival in Perth, here's a piece about Propeller in The Australian. Matthew Westwood talks with Edward Hall about the use of an all-male company (something Westwood thinks "still seems odd"), the benefits of pairing contrasting plays, and the ambiguity of "Period Shakespeare", among other things. A good read!

-cs