Do you like going to the theatre much? Before you answer, how does this sound? It’s a wildly hot rom/com, sometimes raunchy, sometimes delicate, with solid running gags and a big cast that always delivers and frequently takes fire. It’s so funny that it makes even theatre reviewers laugh out loud, and it’s by The Bard so you get cultural points for attending if you care about that sort of thing. 

If that sounds like you, pick up your phone right now and phone the Bats booking number, because this exuberant efflorescence of dramatic zest is only going to be on for a couple more nights and you’ll regret missing it. Or you could finish reading this review first – it’s up to you.

Just so we know which Shakespeare play we’re talking about: Duke Orsino of Illyria (Simon Davis) is romantically obsessed with Olivia (Charli Gartrell) but she is having nothing to do with men. The Duke hasn’t heard that no means no, so he sends an emissary to plead his case with Olivia. However, the emissary, Cesario (Rebekah Adams), is actually a woman, Viola, disguised as a man, and she/he fancies the Duke; then, oops, Olivia decides that Cesario is kind of hot.

While all this to-do is working itself out, a couple of dissolute knights in Olivia’s household, Sir Toby Belch (Brianne Kerr) and Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Finn McCauley) decide to wreak revenge on the uptight Malvolio (Max Nunes-Cesar) because he objects to their drunken carousing. With the aid of servants Maria (Nick Erasmuson) and Fabian (Ashleigh Yates), they cook up one of those rather clunky, over-signalled Shakespearean jests: Malvolio is tricked into dressing and behaving weirdly in order to woo Olivia, and then everyone mocks him. 

Meanwhile, Sebastian (Finnian Nacey), Cesario/Viola’s identical [!] twin brother, is lurking around in the background working on another subplot and waiting for the big reveal: Hey! Aren’t you …? But you look just like …!

For a production containing so many onstage highlights, the first few minutes of the first night are oddly muted, even halting. The Club Illyria setting doesn’t seem to be doing much, the actors aren’t quite connecting or convincing. Then someone finds the On-switch and the pace starts to pick up, led by bravura performances from Kerr, Erasmuson and Ariadne Baltazar as Feste the clown.

After that, it is all on for young and old – everyone onstage begins to relax, get into their characters and enjoy themselves and Will’s material, and it gets steadily better from there. The end of play dance is a celebration shared by the cast and audience, like the close of a particularly happy riot. 

I find the first night a tad unbalanced, with a tendency to come across as a series of exceptional performances connected by passages of less inspired plot progression. A couple of reasons for this suggest themselves. Some of the cast appear to hit their straps a lot faster than others. Also, the production leans more towards the comic material, meaning that some of the elements in the original text are played down – particularly those involving reflections about love and romance, men and women, Shakespeare-style.

Presumably the balance will change as the actors get used to being on stage together, bringing out their own and the material’s strengths and meshing more closely with the strengths of others. 

This production has so much going for it that I feel strongly inclined to skip around the stage sprinkling accolades over everyone in sight, and also over some not in sight (more about that later). However, I will confine myself to mentioning a few individuals who stand out on the first night – apologies to those not named below, the list isn’t supposed to be comprehensive. So in no particular order:

Ariadne Baltazar – one of the top Shakespearean clown performances I have seen: inventive, multitalented, charismatic, brilliant rapport with the audience. Faithful to the text, doesn’t hesitate to improvise, has a tendency to steal the show.

Brianne Kerr – another outstanding individual performance, good comic skills and judgement, excellent ability to relate the audience. She and Finn McCauley worked seamlessly as partners in debauchery and perpetrators of heavy Shakespearean pranks.

Simon Davis – Orsino is a key role as romantic lead and plot driver, but he could get lost amidst the fireworks. Davis never falters, playing his role dead straight and successfully keeping the creaking plot on track. He speaks Shakespearean verse naturally and sensitively, has the good fortune to be tall, relaxed and good looking, and has the double good fortune of wearing God’s own suit (see below under: Wardrobe). 

Nick Erasmuson – gives a finely judged display of confidence, discipline and timing. Could have camped his drag Maria way up and left the ensemble behind, but doesn’t, and is all the more effective for it. Brilliant physical theatre.

Max Nunes-Cesar – skilfully delineates the two sides of his character, keeping them separate but joined; another confident performer with a strong physical stage presence who makes the most of his set piece moments and also works well with the team. Also hilarious. A smiling, cross-gartered Malvolio you’ll never forget. 

Cast members not named so far – competent performances every one, usually in quieter roles with less potential for onstage display. As suggested, some of these performances will and arguably should come up as the season goes by.

Wardrobe! Who is that person? Apparently not named in the program (or did I miss it? If so, my apologies), but whoever they are, they wrought wonders – costumes are eye-catching, original, character-enhancing and a pleasure to look at in their own right. Funniest, wildest cross gartered yellow stockings costume ever. Give that person an award, please; and if there’s no award handy, invent one and give it to them.

Anastasia Matteini-Roberts, the director, for coming up with a coherent concept and getting it realised onstage, for getting so much out of a big, super-creative team, for brilliant comic devices at all levels; for making sure that all devices available – lighting, music, set, choreography, wardrobe – are working together to bring the concept alive. 

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer