Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona
May 2nd-5th (2nd week Trinity), 2012
Awarded ‘Best Adaptation’ by Shakespearian scholar Jonathan Bate at the ‘Banter of the Bard’ performance on 5 June, 2012
★★★★★ from the Cherwell
‘Barbarian Productions’ Two Gentlemen of Verona had me rather embarrassingly bellowing with laughter.’
‘The play is a delicious cocktail of timeless slapstick, set in the verdant gardens of Christ Church.’
★★★★ from The Oxford Student
‘This is a must-see for Shakespeare fans, and should be a fantastic start to a summer of student theatre.’
‘It’s a style of comedy so easily overdone but the company keeps the timing tight, resulting in many ridiculously funny moments. Shakespeare’s word-play is a delightful accompaniment to the physical comedy, and the language is handled with deft ease by the actors.’
★★★★★
Verona’s best of friends, Proteus and Valentine, are to be separated when Valentine is sent from Milan to experience the wider world; or, in this case, to fall in love with the Duke’s daughter Silvia. Proteus stays for love of Julia, but not for long. Once sent to Milan, he too falls for Silvia – and out of love for her, he is willing to betray his best friend and his lady-love. Not that Julia will take that betrayal lying down…
“It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,
Women to change their shapes than men their minds.”
Throw in one quick-witted (and one not-so-quick-witted) servant, a faithful canine companion, some tommy-gun-toting gangsters, a big band singer, and a vastly emotionally ambiguous ending, and you’re in for a good time.
