IN an interesting experiment with cross-gender casting, director Stephen Cosier’s easy-on-the-eye production took us back to the end of the Second World War, with bombs and explosions heralding the return of the troops at the outset of this un-romantic comedy, with the women playing the men definitely having the best of it.
As confirmed bachelor Benedick, Trish Quinlan, confident, commanding and amusing, and always at ease with a Shakespearean text, was the focus of the action, returning from war to continue the verbal sparring with Lisa Gilmour’s rather starchy wouldbe spinster Beatrice.
Meriel Shepherd’s Governor Leonato showed great range of emotion in defending his wronged daughter Hero (a most convincing Lizzie Gilmour) with Nay Walton’s doubling as Ursula and Friar Francis, and Beverley Siddle’s villainous Don John both fun to watch, the latter even eliciting boos from the audience, and as a bonus, Linda Palk’s excellent 40s choreography opened and closed the show.
ED HOWSON
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