Player Kings – Noel Coward Theatre – Saturday 8th June 2024

(Rated 5/5) In my youth I had two portly gentlemen who took on the roles of my Step-Grandad and my Self-Chosen’ Grandad; the first being married to one of my blood Grannies, and the second married to my Self-Chosen Granny! I loved their sizes – though my Step-Grandad with his twenty stone made my Self-Chosen Grandad look like a sylth, their cuddliness, their charm, their wit, their naughty cheekiness, their warmth, and, in a sense, most of all the feeling that with them I felt protected from the harsh world of responsibility. So, I can fully relate emotionally and psychologically to Prince Hal’s choice of his ‘other’ Dad – Sir John Falstaff – who for him provided a world ever so far removed from that of his Dad, King Henry IV, and the responsibility of his birthright to become King Henry V. Of course, my own life is also far removed from the much more heightened drama of Shakespeare’s ‘Henry IV, Parts 1&2’, except that I had to study that first part for ‘O’ Level English Literature, and at the time, that felt much more serious an endeavour, than watching Robert Icke’s adaptation of the two plays together, ‘Player Kings’. Not that I was thinking about any of that when I chose to go – Sir Ian McKellen was the draw, and though I felt somewhat anxious at the prospect of the length it might be with two plays combined – two full-length Hamlets together would be 8 hours – I decided to face it for the greater good 😉 – Oh, also persuaded by Michael Sheen’s comment that seeing Sir Ian McKellen give us his Falstaff would be a moment of theatrical history. And, I can honestly say, that for me Act I did feel like it flew by in the matter of moments – in reality 2 hours! (Act 2 felt a little slower, and some fatigue set in, but that can be forgiven, and no marks docked off as a result 😉)

My high school introduced me to the task of learning about ways to analyse and assess Shakespeare, and my Mum introduced me to a profound deep love, emotional experience and appreciation of it. Similarly, the ‘Newsreader’ characters in the opening of ‘Player Kings’ – courtiers to Henry IV – introduced us to the context of the history and serious politics of the play – with Shakespeare in prose mode – and then with a blast of intense, lively jollity (and a dash of almost nudity and crudity!), we are transported to The Boar’s Head Tavern on Eastcheap, whilst Shakespeare’s language is transformed to its highly expressive emotional poetic. In spite of once playing one of the ‘newsreaders’, (Salarino in ‘The Merchant of Venice’), I tend to struggle with the newsy or exposition bits in Shakespeare’s plays. And during that part of ‘Player Kings’, I was a little worried about whether I’d follow it. It’s oh so many years since those studies at school 😉. But, once ‘Plump Jack’ appears, slouched back in his armchair with his large, rotund belly presented to us in all its glory 😉, and Hal (Toheeb Jimoh) and fellow riotous reprobates dance around him, I knew all would be well 😊.

The captions like scene headers in a script giving us time and place in lights above the action on stage really help the audience as well, together with just a few modern expressions being allowed in. We are placed now as well as then, so to speak. This is a modern dress version of Shakespeare. For me that felt fine, but I know others disliked it. Staging-wise, I also really liked the use of the arras/curtain to change scenes - each time one or other of the performers drew the arras just enough to conceal one part of the stage, whilst doing their ‘business’, giving time for actors and props to get in place behind it, so when drawn back again, you’re in the next scene. Really simple yet really clever and effective. I also love the use of music – Countertenor singer Henry Jenkinson is exceptional in his performances of ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’ and ‘Jerusalem’ and other themes, whilst composer Laura Marling created a wonderfully haunting soundtrack to the battles and chases including – and there’s a long story around my trying to identify this lol – sections from Massive Attack’s ‘Angel’, and similar tracks.

Robert Icke’s adaptation is very Falstaff-heavy – no pun actually intended – but, I am certainly not complaining, and I think it was deliberate to really give as much meat – and maybe beloved sack – as possible for Sir Ian to use in his performance. I honestly don’t remember, Henry IV being more about Falstaff than anybody else, though Henry IV has always felt like a bit part as the titular character. Prince Harry/Hal does feel like a supporting role to Falstaff in this production, though, for me, the essence of the play was always around the future Henry V growing up and coming of age whilst facing the huge conflict of choice between his two father figures and a life of fun & frivolity or a life of serious responsibility. Toheeb Jimoh’s Harry is gently calm, whilst giving us a sense of all sorts of emotion lying beneath. His smile is so engaging and hints at secrets he might be teasing us with and he handles Shakespearean poetic language with ease. Sir Ian McKellen is exceptional, an exquisitely attentive master to every single detail of Falstaff, including all the mannerisms and bodily noises from an overweight sack-addict performed so naturally, as well as the acerbic wit, pomposity and wonderful, engaging, yet at times shocking confidences with the audience. He gives us a figure we might love to hate, which in some ways is a bit of a shame. Like my overweight, cuddly grandfather figures, I remember Falstaff as being more endearing somehow. That doesn’t in any way take from the tour de force of Ian’s phenomenally impressive performance, but does take something from the power of Hal’s rejection of him at the end. Or, could it be after all that I know the play too well. I certainly never forget – in part as my Mum used to ‘perform’ it for me – the two-chair therapy session with Falstaff playing Hal and Hal his own father the King and the lines from Falstaff, ‘… Banish Plump Jack,… and You Banish The World…’, with Hal -supposedly as Henry IV – replying ‘I do, I will’. It somehow feels actually he is speaking for himself, which takes away from the drama of what should be an emotional shock at the end. That said, Toheeb and Ian were a supreme double-act, which I will treasure having seen for the rest of my life.

I feel I have really neglected the rest of the cast of characters in this. Richard Coyle played a very serious, troubled Henry IV very well indeed. Clare Perkins was an excellent Mistress Quickly, and everyone else ably played their parts (for some actors multiple parts), but were somehow outshone by that extraordinary star presence on stage. Robert Icke’s direction did produce one shock for me. Hal discovers Falstaff on the battlefield and believes him to be dead. Hal exits, and the curtain starts to come down. I was thinking ‘Oh goodness, he really is dead… but surely not… but yes the curtain is coming down… but…’ And then Sir John-Ian Falstaff-McKellen rises up repeating one of the endearing insults Hal has piled on him thinking him gone. Just as – contrary to his own concern and worry about playing Falstaff - Sir Ian McKellen rises up as the supreme star of this production, made so clear at the final, true, curtain call. As a friend said, William Shakespeare himself would have given him a standing ovation.

PlayerKings – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024

Johannes Radebe: House of Jojo – New Theatre, Oxford – Saturday 30th March 2024, Sheffield City Hall – Saturday 27th April 2024, The London Palladium – Saturday 4th May 2024 & Cliff’s Pavilion, Southend – Saturday 11th May 2024

(Rated 4/5 or in Strictly Language 8/10) As Johannes Radebe’s Star has risen – and oh my goodness has it risen so gloriously, that he genuinely has become the brightest sunshine in human form for ever so many people, and arguably the sparkliest and best pro dancer on the Strictly ballroom floor – I have felt gradually more disconnected with him. I hasten to qualify that immediately - it’s not remotely that he is any less glowing with humanity, compassion, empathy and pure joy - but he feels more out of reach, less accessible, and that somehow less has to be more, when I/we actually want more and more.

‘The House of Jojo’ is an absolutely superb show – all stunningly flawless and polished – yes, he has really done up his House from the highly colourful rough corrugated iron sets from ‘Freedom’ and ‘Freedom Unleashed’ - and with dancing and singing of exceptionally high quality – all the more impressive as Jojo selects new performers to help them make their marks on the theatrical scene – the show itself definitely does merit a very full 10. Ideas for themes, choreography and music selection are all by Jojo too, so they really are ‘Dancing and Singing to His Tunes’. Jojo appears in ever more flamboyant costumes, yet with more costumes, comes less dancing from HIM. The Kids of the House of Jojo do the lion’s share, and either they, or his singers – and again, yes, they are all wonderful – entertain us making time for ‘Mamma’ to extricate himself from one dazzlingly impressive outfit and climb into another – before entering amongst his performers for sometimes what feels like just a few seconds. In fact, one of my favourite parts of the show is Jojo, alone on stage, dancing along all too briefly to ‘What A Feeling’ from ‘Flashdance’. Another when all he is wearing is a loincloth – stripped of all the glorious outfits – and yes he does have a very fit body, but that’s not the reason – it is because, exactly as he notes himself – he is kind of derobed of the trappings of fame – and is there true, raw, arguably vulnerable and so honest. And, that is how so many of us have grown to love him. BUT, I also completely get, how much he personally loves those sensational outfits and stiletto-heeled-red ‘Kinky Boots’ and yes, I’m thrilled for him that he is going to be playing Lola in the touring musical version next year – Chiwetel Ejiofor’s part in the film – and of course, absolutely, I’m right there!

So, I’m having a mini-moan, but only because, Dearest Jojo, yes you did pitch this show as less about you, but I simply can’t get enough of you!!!! So much so, that I went four times (though that is minimal compared to some other of your fabulous fans 😉) First visit: Oxford on my Mum’s Birthday, so that she could dance from Heaven with me and Dad and Johannes Radebe, as Dad and ‘I Danced in Heaven (nightclub) with Johannes Radebe’ – hey that would look good on a T-shirt all sparkly – Oh, yes, it does 😉 – really Fab-u-lous party for you Mum!! Jojo made a point of thanking those who had been with him from the beginning and said ‘I see you’ <3 😊!!! Second visit in Sheffield, which happened to be on Jojo’s birthday and we all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him 😊. This visit’s companion and I waited at the stage door for Jojo – much later turned out he had already left via another exit, maybe even the main one – but we did get to see his singers and dancers come out and I shouted well done to the beautiful Lowri Evans – his dance captain, who later sent me love and appreciation for doing that 😉! Then, the London Palladium – had to do it to see Jojo reunited and dancing – just as he had promised long after their Strictly journey ended - with the gorgeous Annabel Croft – was such a superbly special few minutes. (Jojo talked about having FOMO when Graziano got to dance with her on the Strictly tour.) And, having her appear alongside Jojo and cast at the curtain call also just so lovely. Annabel also responding (on social media afterwards) with love and appreciation of the warmth of the greeting she was given. They truly are fabulously firm friends for ‘the life’. Last, but not least, as aside from the London Palladium was the most emotional I saw Jojo, Southend – Jojo explained to us how he had ‘driven into the sunshine’ on his approach to the new city. As with all his shows, Jojo spoke to the audience about all sorts – will do Strictly as long as his bones allow and then will take Craig’s job (joking apparently haha), how there is a beautiful theatre culture in this country and by attending we are keeping him and his cast all employed, how he now has his British citizenship, though he is sure we wouldn’t be able to answer many of the questions right from the stone age 😉!, how he dances in his new home in his kitchen to music from his motherland, how he wants to bring joy and help everyone escape from the awful news and bring some healing to the world in his way, how his Mamma would be in the front row at The London Palladium – then when she couldn’t get her visa instead in Liverpool – though maybe he could Facetime her, how he’s working on the film of his book, now going to be doing ‘Kinky Boots’, asked the house lights to go up so he could see us in all our sparkles and thank us, have the prosecco and popcorn ready as he takes us to the movies showing us the parts he’d like to play, and about being free to be himself and how we have given him that in spades and shining loud and proud. And ever so much more than isn’t coming to mind just now, so I may end up editing more in…

I’m next going to write on show content (as it serves to help me feel back ‘there’ – at Jojo’s House Party in years to come), so if you do not want to know here is your SPOILER ALERT: The lights on the House of Jojo flash as we hear clips around the rise of Jojo’s Star. Jojo - in voiceover – welcomes ‘Ladies and Gentlemen and My Beautiful Friends Beyond the Binary’, then introducing ‘The Kids of the House of Jojo’, who come on dancing to ‘Fame’ and ‘Sweet Dreams’. Jojo enters last, of course, in a fabulous black leather skirted outfit, which is gradually removed to leave him standing in just a brown loincloth as we him his voiceover again, ‘Here I stand before you, stripped of the garments of fame…’; two of his dancers bring on tambourine shoe things for him (sorry, can’t think how else to describe them!), his fellow dancers all return also in tambourine shoes and all dance together – terrible description of a wonderful dance haha! Jojo talks about the awful state of the world and how he wants to give us some joy for a couple of hours as he presents his ‘Heal the World’ section – just so beautiful – everyone dancing in grey flowing skirts, which become capes, and then reverse to message ‘MAKE A(Jojo) CHANGE’. This then followed by a kind of ‘Bringing the Sunshine’ dance with yellow/orange outfits and scarfs – I absolutely adored how this looked on stage. Brain fog is not allowing me to recall how part 2 started. But, somewhere there was a jazz/swing section with everyone in black top hat and tails, then Jojo in red top hat and tails, looking stunning. There were some beautiful dance interactions involving partner swaps, especially the lovely Lowri, who was also at some stage lifted by either Kofi Aidoo-Appiah or Ebby Sama in an amazingly skilled hold – back in the day Jojo would have been doing that himself!! Just one of Jojo’s Strictly partners was honoured with one section devoted solely to her, with Jojo explaining in voice-over how he had had a difficult year of highs and lows, but had met his incredible special soul-mate Miss Annabel Croft – and in essence they saved each other. At the Palladium, Annabel appeared as herself to be greeted with rapturous applause. As she danced with Jojo, with other dancers backing them, we were taken into a very special place, being able to witness their beautiful, exceptional bond. At other venues, lovely Lowri represented Annabel.

A big shout out to Lovely Lowri – Jojo’s Dance Captain and such a delightful dancer, whom he found to be his partner in his solo shows, standing and dancing by his side for three straight years now. All other performers for each show were ‘new’, being given a boost, by the man who always puts others before himself. Other newbie-dancers – not already mentioned – Ann C. Beck, Shali Bordoni, Kieran Curtin, Jack Dargan, Erica Martinelli, Charles Tatman and Elle Taylor.

As noted above, instead of taking us to the musicals as he did in ‘Unleashed’, Jojo took us to the movies this show. This trip started with ‘Goldeneye’ (with no Jojo, but would he like to play James Bond, or a Bond Girl?!), then ‘Le Jazz Hot’ with Jojo miming to ‘Victor/Victoria’ aka Julie Andrews, as he danced with - and was lifted by, Kofi and Ebby – those three dancing together such a tremendous sight. ‘Pure Imagination’ was beautifully sung, while we can imagine everyone else changing backstage; in Oxford by Dalton Harris, whilst everywhere else, where I attended, Paige Peddie. The other sensational singer was Anthonia Edwards. Following on, if memory serves, ‘She’s a Maniac’ - with all dancers in 80s dancercise outfits - from ‘Flashdance’ led into ‘What A feeling’ to which Jojo enters in lead character Alex Owens’ welding outfit, and is then stripped off to his own dancercise outfit, in which he dances solo for us – yes, a definitely favourite bit of mine!! One of my most beloved songs – sung initially just by the two live singers – ‘He Lives In You’ leads us into ‘The Lion King’, in which this time, Jojo comes on as zebra Sukari (in ‘Unleashed’ he was Simba) – the entire cast later singing together was so beautiful and moving in this one. Next, everyone in pink, and it was time for Barbie! Jojo is brought in standing on a glitterball stage with glitterball picture frame! Such a great Ken!! Annnnd then, the ABBA/’Mamma Mia’ medley – just as it appeared in ‘Unleashed’, yet this time starting with Anthonia (I think) singing ‘The Winner Takes It All’ (superb) leading into ‘Money, Money, Money’, Jojo entering in his Donna outfit in white, complete with frilled bottom trousers and huge-rimmed hat, appropriately to ‘Gimme, Gimme, Gimme’ and then some ‘Voulez-Vous’; oh yes we do, or did, and would Voulez some more 😉. We got some more with Jojo raising the brim of his hat to reveal his grinning face to chat to us once more. At some point, between sections, and/or while outfit changes were going on – which did all happen at an almost incredible pace – Dalton/Paige sang ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, with many of us in the audience accompanying, as we’d been invited to do. The finale was Loud & Proud – both its title and description – including ‘Vogue’ with Jojo as a lady as if from the 18th Century French court. We had ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’, ‘I Am What I Am’, ‘It’s Raining Men’ and some umbrella dancing, ‘We Are Family’, Jojo on the glitterball stage again as the glitterball, and then in a glorious red outfit to end and tell us “This is not the last dance”.

Phew… and I’m pretty sure I’ve missed some, but that is what I remember after FOUR FAB-U-LOUS FROLICS from JOYFUL JOJO and the KIDS PARTYING IN HIS HOUSE! Johannes Radebe: House of Jojo – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024

Johannes Radebe: Freedom Unleashed – The Peacock Theatre, London – Saturday 8th April 2023 & Brighton Theatre Royal – Saturday 29th April 2023

(Rated “It’s Still a Ten from Pen”) This Restricted Review is being compiled over a year after the event! My emotions in April 2023 were so taken over by my meet & greet with the man himself, which felt too personal really to be ‘hiding behind’ the mask of my alter ego The Restricted Reviewer. But for completion’s sake, I am borrowing from my otherwise noted down reactions at the time and sharing them here.

Peacock Theatre: Mine & My Jojo-Bestie's Easter Saturday Treat: Johannes Radebe's 'Freedom Unleashed' Bestie said the best £55 she's ever spent I might put it a different way involving fun and clothes :) 'Freedom' was extremely brilliant. This was off the scale Fab-u-lous, Darhlings Act1 as in his first show, Jojo dancing to his own South African tunes. Act2 - very Strictly dance inspired and with much gratitude to said TV show and including references to many of the roles he's been given to play - including a Casualty nurse asking Doctor Ellie Taylor how to revive a mannequin and Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert. My absolute favourite parts an ABBA medley with Jojo as Donna from 'Mamma Mia' and another 'Lion King' medley with Jojo as a very golden Simba :)<3

Brighton Theatre Royal: Johannes Radabe's 'Freedom Unleashed' was even better in Brighton (Saturday 29th April) Well according to Jojo it sold out first in Brighton. And anyone who knows anything about Brighton will know it would suit Jojo very well. I was crying during the whole of the first act all related to Jojo's South African heritage. So full of celebration and joy and I'm increasingly falling more in love with Afrobeats and dancing style. Full of messages around being strong with kindness and freedom! And shine as yourself! And goodness has Jojo lived that Then there's his Love, Acceptance and Unity section with songs to match including 'Imagine' and of course Being Gay & Proud The Strictly-inspired showtime section with 'We Go Together' from 'Grease' and a soupson of Jojo singing 'But now, there's nowhere to hide since you pushed my love aside...' and his Pink Ladies, going into ABBA's 'Gimme, Gimme, Gimme' and 'Voulez-Vous' and Jojo as Donna then into 'He Lives in You...' from 'The Lion King' and golden Jojo Simba :) The whole show inspires such utterly joyful campness and living your best life Pure Fun :) :) P.S. Jojo's playlist courtesy of another Jojo fan

Johannes Radebe: Freedom Unleashed – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2023

The Divine Mrs S – Hampstead Theatre – Saturday 20th April 2024

(Rated 4/5)

This could well be the longest after the event that I am writing a review of a theatrical production which I have enjoyed. Though she may be divine, poor Mrs S got a little lost amongst appearances of the equally divine Mr R, and this restricted reviewer going beyond her restrictions to travel around the country to see said Mr R in his ‘House of Jojo’ with different theatre-going companions each time! However, I simply cannot allow more time to pass, before I write about Rachael Stirling as the titular Sarah Siddons, for fear of forgetting to note down what I’d like to say about her!

I was mesmerised by Rachael Stirling in ‘Boy Meets Girl’, in which hers and Martin Freeman’s character swap bodies following being struck by lightening. I have to admit, I’ve kind of forgotten Martin’s performance, but was so impressed by Rachael literally embodying a man, that she stuck fast in my brain, and I wanted to see whatever she was in! Yes, of course, her natural voice lends itself to us believing she may be a different gender, but her movements and manner as the male character blew me away. Since then, I’ve seen her in a few screen pieces – an episode of ‘Doctor Who’ with her mother Diana Rigg, ‘The Detectorists’ also with her character’s mother played by her mother, Diana Rigg and an episode of ‘Agatha Christie’s Poirot’ (nope, Diana Rigg not in that one!) with David Suchet as Poirot, though a little disappointingly no scenes with him. She particularly moved me in the ‘Poirot: Five Little Pigs’ episode. She has such an incredible presence, and of course, when I heard about her playing ‘the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century’ on stage, I wanted to be in the front row to see her. There is something so special about being so up close and personal to an actor performing – to be able to see every little movement of their body, every subtle change in expression on their face and hear every nuance in intonation of their voice. Yep, you have to pay more, of course, but I almost feel why bother going if you can’t witness the subtleties in those qualities. And, though the play by April De Angelis did somewhat, Rachael herself did not remotely disappoint. The play was written as a farce, which I guess is appropriate and of the time, but somehow felt incongruent with a piece exploring the backstage world of a tragedienne. Then again maybe that contrast was deliberate. For me, all the other characters felt two-dimensional next to Rachael’s three-dimensional Sarah. I imagine for the portrayal of her brother, John Philip Kemble by Dominic Rowan, that may have been deliberate – my favourite scene is when Sarah attempts to help John tap into his own emotional experience for his acting – she was clearly using Method Acting before Stanislavski came along with it in the next century – whilst her brother was using the over-exaggerated gesturing and voicing more typical of the style of acting at that time. But, aside from Anushka Chakravarti’s assistant/maid for Mrs S, Patti, for me the performances of all the other characters lacked depth too. Then again, maybe tricky to do anything more when playing multiple characters as Eva Feiler, Sadie Shimmin and Gareth Snook all did – differences detectable by costume, but not much else unfortunately I felt. With all that, it meant Rachael’s Sarah really did stand out, and of course she absolutely was the main focus – Sarah Siddons the first celebrity actress; Mrs Siddons fashioned celebrity in all the multiple meanings of that word. In this version of Mrs S’s story, we see the potential psychological consequences of Sarah using her unhealed life traumas to access emotional depth. Again, with the farcical nature of the play, we lose the impact of that dramatically a little. It did, though, have me thinking of the contrast in approach between Marilyn Monroe (very much Method) and Lawrence Olivier and how the latter suggested to another Method actor Dustin Hoffman, ‘Why don’t you try acting, dear boy?’ As another Method actor once told me, ‘I don’t understand how you do it any other way, than from experience.’ But, clearly, many actors do, and with great results 😊 So, in fact, there does not have to be Method in their Madness.

In this production, we, as the real audience, see everything pretty much from the backstage dressing room of Mrs. S. We do see her, and fellow actors, perform as though to the audience in the plays within this play from the back of the stage, with either their backs to us, or from the side. We see Sarah in various roles, snippets of her performances of those characters and their impact on her and vice versa. We also get a good overview of the nature of theatre and the environment stage folk were working and living in at that time. It feels like a little taster, and left me wanting to know a great deal more about Sarah Siddons. Thankfully, that will be possible thanks to a biography by Jo Willett.

As the play ends, we, the real audience, merge with the fictional one, as Rachael Striling as Sarah Siddons plays Lady Macbeth! She gives us her most famous role.

Billed as a comedy, this play and production, were not laugh-out-loud funny; just maybe at points making me chuckle slightly, but seeing Rachael Stirling on stage is indeed divine! TheDivineMrsS – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024

Hamnet – Garrick Theatre – Saturday 17th February 2024

(Rated Novel 5/5, Play 4/5) William Shakespeare had a Wife, Who caused him no Strife, By name of Agnes Hathaway, She cheered him on the right Way, To lead us to Emote, From the Plays what he Wrote! Whoops, ok, I will leave that there and refer you to the master playwright William Shakespeare for far superior witty. profound and moving rhyming – or not – Elizabethan verse and prose. However, in ‘Hamnet’ the play/novel, Will Shakespeare plays a supporting (or not, depending on how you view the story 😉) role to Agnes Hathaway, who is in fact the key character in Maggie O’Farrell’s book, and the play adaptation by Lolita Chakrabarti.

The Agnes created by O’Farrell was a herbalist and healer with ‘uncommon powers’, maybe psychic and possibly enabling her to communicate with the spirts. In the book, we are introduced from the outset to her son, the titular character Hamnet, and the story jumps around in time as we follow Agnes’ highly moving story of love with Will, the joy of children, the pain of separation from her husband while he lives in London to make his name as Queen Elizabeth I’s most famous playwright, and devastating impact of ‘the pestilence’ on her family. O’Farrell says ‘Hamnet’ is a work of imagination and that her 'idle speculation' on Shakespeare's son and the reason for his death led to this highly emotive extraordinary exploration into the possible characters/personalities of Hamnet's mother Agnes, twin sister Judith, older sister Susanna and maybe most notably his never named father! It has a lovely stream of consciousness element and wondrous exploration of love, relationships, death and grief. Above all if there is even the remotest 'factual truth' to it William Shakespeare would never have found himself without Anne Hathaway and the influence of her way of being as drawn in this book can be seen throughout all his plays. Add to that the power of the loss of their golden-haired boy and how William may have written Hamlet as a way of processing that loss... and therein lies the playwright's genius through life experience.

I loved the book, and this play not so much. For me the latter suffers a little from having to be told in chronological order, though twins Hamnet (Ajami Cabey) and Judith (Alex Jarrett) do appear on stage in the loft as though communicating to their mother Agnes (Madeleine Mantock) even before she has met their father William (Tom Varey). I think my other difficulty with it was simply we were sitting so far back, it was hard sometimes to even tell who was which character, let alone be able to explore the beauty of their facial emotional expressions. We do, however, get a strong sense of the nature of life in Stratford, and later London, at that time, and the recreation of Agnes’ affinity with nature and how she loves to be at one with it, is remarkably clear. Will is immediately struck by Agnes when he sees her flying her hawk. She is beautifully wild and free, both grounded, yet other-worldly, and of course then he falls for her. It doesn’t take them long at all to conceive their first child Susanna (Phoebe Campbell). Having put a baby in her belly. Will has little choice but to marry Agnes. For me, the play somehow gives the impression that Will was trapped into this marriage, and then held back from seeking fame and fortune by Agnes and their children. I got a totally different sense from the book, where Agnes very much encourages Will to go to London, knowing he can make more of himself than as a Latin Teacher. Meanwhile Agnes very much held everything together at home. One of the devices I loved in the play was as Agnes was in labour with them, each of the actors playing her children, gradually walked over to her and gifted her a ‘baby’ carried in their arms. As always, act 1 was the set-up, and act2 explored at far greater depth the connection between Will’s family experiences and aspects he put in his plays. Ophelia gifting herbs before she commits suicide and the witches could all have been inspired by his ‘medicine woman wife’, and twins appear in many of his plays. Again, for me though, showing that on stage, rather than expressing it in the character’s thought processes in a book, somehow take us away from Agnes and more into Will’s mind. Until, that it, the denouement. Following Hamnet’s death, Agnes travels to London and witnesses a production of ‘Hamlet’. It gave me, and clearly her too, goosebumps seeing Ajami Cabey (Hamnet) playing Hamlet “Oh, that this too, too solid flesh would melt…”

As far as I could see the RSC ensemble gave great performances, and it was a very good production. I think I personally am always greedy to be able to fully experience performers in all their close-up glory!

Unfortunately, as I write, this production of ‘Hamnet’ has finished, but there will always be productions of Agnes’ husband’s plays for all time, and now we have Maggie O’Farrell’s book bringing Agnes and her beloved son Hamnet to life for all time too. Hamnet – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024

Backstairs Billy – The Duke of York’s Theatre – Saturday 13th January 2024

(Rated 3/5) Written by Marcelo Dos Santos, ‘Backstairs Billy’ is the story of the relationship between Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother (Mum of Queen Elizabeth II in case anyone is not aware of who she was), and her manservant, William ‘Billy’ Tallon. I imagine it is inspired by the facts, as much as it might be possible for the author to know them from public records, and from those who knew Billy. It is entirely set in Clarence House, in 1979 and 1951, the latter being when Billy first met the Queen Mother (QM) at the age of 15 years old. He had written to the then consort Queen Elizabeth and her husband King George VI, asking whether he could be of service to them. He would remain working as an ever increasingly closer companion to QM, until her death in 2002 at the age of 101. Billy survived her by only 5 years, dying in 2007, when he was 72.

OK, so why this one, you may ask… or even if you don’t, I’m going to tell you 😉 As many others did, I felt a great fondness for QM, and in the past have really enjoyed stories of Queens and their servants – ‘Mrs Brown’ and ‘Victoria and Abdul’, with Judi Dench as Mrs. Brown aka Queen Victoria to Billy Connolly’s John Brown in the former and again Judi with Ali Fazal as Abdul Karim in the latter. AND, as with Dame Judi too, I have a great love of Dame Penelope Wilton, yet never seen her on stage. Dame Penny W, (to distinguish her from Dame Penny Keith 😉), has appeared in numerous stage and screen roles – my personal favourite being as Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North and then Prime Minister in ‘Doctor Who’. Remember, ‘We know who you are’ lol.

The play is much more about its titular character than the QM. He is played by Luke Evans. We witness how the innocence of young Billy (Ilan Galkoff) being taught to dance by QM transforms to the power and control older Billy came to have over proceedings at the QM’s engagements, particularly when she received visitors to the Garden Room in Clarence House. We see the clash that develops between Billy’s personal gay lifestyle and the etiquette of functions hosted by QM. It is a gentle, light-hearted romp in the most part… until it isn’t, and Billy gets too big for his boots and receives a pretty shocking put-down from QM! Very rapidly after that the play finishes, which feels a little odd. As an audience member, I felt too much in shock to fully appreciate the joy of a mostly beautiful relationship between them.

Pre-show the gay anthems of 1979 play loud and proud in the auditorium of The Duke of York’s Theatre, getting us in the mood 😉 Though, I did naively comment ‘This doesn’t sound appropriate for the Queen Mother’! So, this is one, I’m glad to have seen, but wouldn’t recommend as such. Penny W was very good as a Penelope Wilton version of QM, but didn’t convince me as QM in my own imagination. Tom Rand created her outfits, and they were very QM as we saw her in public. Luke Evans is fine as Billy – though I don’t know how Billy was! – and did some good impressions of now King Charles and Princess Margaret. But, something was missing for me in them together – though I obviously can’t say how them together were!! There was some lovely dancing, some amusing farcical happenings, oh, and… some real live Corgis, but not enough of the latter for what I anticipated!!!

‘Dear, oh dear’, as The King might say about this play featuring his Granny 😉 BackstairsBilly – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024