Fresh Midsummer Merchant-ise

(...too far?)

CityLife.com in Manchester gives the Merchant four stars, though takes qualms with some of the gender roles (and if someone wants to tell me where Antonio sleeps with Bassanio in the second half, I'd appreciate it...).

Midsummer garners five stars, with Bob Barrett, Richard Frame and Babou Ceesay all getting special mention and the observation that it's "hard to imagine anyone...emerging from this show without a big grin on their face and a feeling that they have been a part of something genuinely special."

And, the crowd chimes in from Oxford, calling Midsummer "fresh" and "funny" as well as "joyous. hilarious. rude. outrageous." One dissenter even finds it in his heart to call the set and lighting "magical."

In related news, I'm having trouble finding useful information from the most recent tour stops. I'll keep looking, but if you find something, do pass it on!

Bard Boys Head to the Rose

I admit to stealing the post title from this preview of Propeller's arrival in Kingston. One can't always be original with these things, right?

As to more proper reviews, they've been somewhat hard to find. Natasha Tripney seems lukewarm about Midsummer, though she commends Babou Ceesay and Richard Clothier (you can read about her mom's reaction to the show over at her blog).

Time Out London experiences all-male Shakespeare for the first with Merchant and, while confessing to missing the feminine touch, admits a more "slick and sharp" production would be hard to find.

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.