Reader Reviews
All's Well that Ends Well (Swan Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | It's hard to imagine a better production or cast or interpretation. I actually came away liking the play. Claudia Blakeley and Judi Dench were both wonderfully sympathetic and Guy Henry's Parolles was magic - USER: Whatsonstage.com (193.118.203.3) | 06 Jan 04 |
| In the Dirty Duck after the show, I happened to overhear one of the actors describe that evening's performance as "flat." Too bad I traveled so far at such expense for an off night, but he was right. The performance in the first half was decidedly slow and uninspired. The second half perked up a bit but was still not so great. I found the overal production to be disappointing. Dame Judi Dench was noble, well-spoken, technically masterful but where was the heart and where was the depth? Where was the risk and danger in her character? It's not such a great part and with such a weak cast around her, it became even less interesting. It was all played far too neatly and in a perfunctory manner. It should be messier, more like life. Helen was far too noble and perfect which is all wrong for that character. They needed to muss up their hair and costumes. The actor playing Bertam is not ready for such a part and failed to show any understanding of the character much less any ability to handle Shakespeare. Parolles was dull, dull, dull and he seems to be a regular there. It was all too prissy and clean. Even when they tried to smudge it up a bit in the second half, it came off as actors putting black makeup on their faces and that's about it. If ensemble was the draw for Dame Judi, then she needs a stronger cast and a braver, riskier production. This was mediocre at best, not thrilling, not daring, just blah. (I don't like the Swan theatre either. Its thrust stage makes every show I've ever seen there look exactly the same.) - USER: Whatsonstage.com (12.77.132.39) | 24 Dec 03 |
| Wonderful Cast, Wonderful Setting, Wonderful Production. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (194.216.55.200) | 23 Dec 03 |
| I am in total agreement with the WoS reviewer. This is a difficult play to "love" - the language is at times stodgy and the story line is perculiar, partly as the young characters appear to discover their depths as the play unfolds, but Doran's production is as good as it gets. The lighting is particularly beautiful in the Swan and the cast is uniformally strong. Guy Henry is a wonderful Parolles, Claudie Blakley's Helena is a beautiful and haunting character, Jamie Glover is fine as Bertram and Gary Waldhorn is a commanding King of France. Mention too must go to Miles Richardson and Oliver Senton for their Lords Dumaine. Dame Judi is of course the rock of the piece, as ever without seeming to do anything but command our absolute attention. What she does is a mystery, but long may it continue and may she return again to Stratford as soon as possible. The only reservation that I may have for this production is that London audiences in particular will flock to see Dame Judi, and rightly so, but for any for whom this is an introduction to Shakespeare, this is a tricky entry route. For those of us who are already converts, then it is good to see the less performed plays in such excellent hands. This is a great production of a mediocre play and not even a cast this strong can take that away from the experience and with the RSC still struggling to find a foothold in London, this must be a concern. Now, if only the excellent Cymbeline had been transferred .... - USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.3.81.159) | 18 Dec 03 |
