Review: Young actors bring new life to the Bard’s early comedy

A youthful RSC cast is rejuvenating one of Shakespeare’s early comedies with particularly strong performances from two young women making their RSC debuts.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona was last seen on the main stage at Stratford in 1970 with a star cast including Helen Mirren, Ian Richardson and Patrick Stewart.

So Simon Godwin’s production, with all the lead actors making their RSC debuts, is a bold move which deserves to succeed. Godwin also livens up the play with exciting settings: a bustling cafe in Verona, a glitzy, glamorous nightclub in Milan and a dark forest.

The comedy is full of Shakespeare’s familiar themes: friendship, love, betrayal and cross-dressing.

The two gentlemen, Valentine and Proteus (well played by Michael Marcus and Mark Arends), are the best of friends, but when they go to the Duke of Milan’s court they both end up wooing the the duke’s daughter, despite Proteus having declared his love for another girl back home.

The strongest performances come from the two young female leads. Pearl Chanda, taking on the role of Julia played by Helen Mirren back in 1970, develops her character brilliantly from a childish girl back in Verona to a more mature but sadder woman (crossed-dressed as a man) when she realises Proteus has betrayed her in Milan.

When she meets her love rival Silvia, stylishly played by Sarah Macrae, there is a chemistry between them which permeates to the audience.

Of the comic characters, Roger Morlidge as Launce, Proteus’ man, gets some big laughs with his sad-looking dog. But Nicholas Gerard - Martin’s Turio - wins the funniest moment prize with his hysterical singing in an attempt to woo Sylvia. And the cool band plays some excellent music.

Peter Gawthorpe