Street Theatre Reviews

THE SHAKESPEARE JUKEBOX - Buxton Drama League

Celebrating 10th anniversary- The Shakespeare Jukebox did not disappoint! Set in the open air in front of the Buxton Opera House amongst the buzz of the festival, the five players using minimal props and the mere ‘magic of theatre’ manage to enthral the audience; changing from scene to scene, to play to play engaging both passers and partakers. This wonderfully disorganised setting enables the actors to employ audience participation, inviting the audience to not only choose what scene they wish to view; but also draw them into the performance itself.

With clear camaraderie between the performers, especially among Barrie Goodwin and Dick Silson, the actors are not afraid to play with the dynamics of Shakespeare’s original works, identifying both elements of humour and tragedy to enthral and invite every age. Saying this, the players are still able to convey the more emotive aspects of Shakespeare’s writings, shown in emotive monologues such as Hamlet's 'to be or not to be' - performed by Paul Harrison. The dramatic qualities of both Maria Carnegie and Jayne Marling are also noteworthy, displayed in several of the chosen scenes through both their facial and vocal expressions.

Despite the informal setting, all actors manage to retain a professional quality to their performance. Due to the length of the enactment, at some points the actors were asked to repeat a scene they had already performed. Although initially feeling this would be repetitive, the players were immediately able to dispel this attitude, switching up parts and at some points even asking audience member to honk a horn to change actors- further adding to the humorous ambiance. One significant moment that stood out to me in particular was the casts performance of the prologue from Henry 8th, performed in homage to Gerard Crawshaw, the original Shakespeare Jukebox.

Asking the audience for donations towards the Buxton Samaritans charity, neither players nor plays lost an ounce of energy until the end, remaining well executed and ridiculously charming. In all honesty I couldn’t recommend a more vibrant, entertaining and engaging performance than The Shakespeare Jukebox- bravo!!

Maia Miller-Lewis