440 Theatre brings its double bill production of Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth to Theatr Clwyd for one night only as part of its summer tour of venues around the UK. 440 Theatre are a company of just four actors who bring Shakespeare’s work to life through the medium of comedy, and quite frankly, ridiculous costumes and props. However, this is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for those who are not overly familiar with his work.
It was evident from the offset what kind of evening the audience would be treated to as the players took their place on stage and introduced themselves with a catchy and hilarious original song. Straight away, the actors created an atmosphere in which audience members felt at ease and felt confident to be taken along on the chaotic journey of Shakespeare. Such a lovely bond was created between the cast and audience that it took barely any convincing for audience members to get involved with the audience participation.
I must commend each actor for a valiant performance throughout - there is such a high standard of showmanship amongst this theatre company in which each person is not afraid to get silly and bring the high energy and comedy value. There is such a good rapport amongst the team in which it is evident that they bounce off each other’s humour and provide the audience with some really funny moments.
Dom Gee-Burch only has to step onto the stage and receives a good reception from the audience. Dom has completely nailed his characterisation and has the most hilarious costumes of the evening. It was also lovely to see Luke Thornton back at Theatr Clwyd after watching him in several of Theatr Clwyd’s Christmas Pantomimes. Luke has his comedic timing nailed and brings some real laugh out loud moments to the show. Both Amy Roberts and Elizabeth Robin demonstrate fantastic skills in being able to adapt into different characters with just a change of posture or a change in their voice.
As someone who is not overly familiar with many of Shakespeare’s plays, this production was definitely enough to keep me engaged and also learn more about his plays. Whilst the players still used Shakespearian language which I did find difficult to follow at times due to the fast-paced storyline, it did not take away from my enjoyment as the actors were incredibly expressive in their acting and it helped me to understand the story.
Overall, 440 Theatre Productions is perfect for audiences who welcome light-heartened theatre entertainment, and for those who aren’t too afraid to get a little silly. 440 Theatre proves that there doesn’t need to be a high value production to provide high quality entertainment and sometimes, all that is necessary is four actors, with lots of humour, and plenty of silly costumes and props. I am really excited for the future of 440 Theatre and am looking forward to the opportunity to be introduced to more of Shakespeare’s work in the future.
440 Theatre continues its tour of venues around the UK over the summer. For more tickets and information, you can follow the link here.
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AD | gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography from 440 website.