All’s Well is a tricky play for both performers and audience as the plot is rather implausible, and the characters can be interpreted in numerous different ways. It has never been one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays and is performed relatively infrequently. Director Chelsea Walker and the cast are to be congratulated on a lively and comprehensible new production in the Sam Wanamaker’s beautiful candle lit theatre.
The director chose to present the play on entirely bare stage with no stage furniture or scenery and minimal props. The costumes were modern and simple but appropriate with colour coordination to indicate the location of the scenes. It was accompanied by beautiful musical interludes under the direction of Louise Duggan, with Angela Hicks as the soprano whose voice provided a haunting backdrop to the scenes. There was no attempt to modernise the text and the production was mercifully free of the production gimmicks which have characterised some recent Globe productions.
The director and cast had obviously worked hard at the characterisation, and they managed to make often improbable characters seem real, which gave the unlikely story a sense of believability. All the cast were strong. I particularly liked Ruby Bentall’s portrayal of the determined and yet sympathetic Helena (or Helen as she is known in this production). William Robinson gave a very interesting interpretation of the villain of the piece, Paroles, again avoiding him becoming a caricature of evil. The scene in which he is kidnapped and forced to confess his duplicity was particularly well done.
For the most part the Shakespearean text was delivered in a way which made it very easy for a modern audience to understand, although in the second half, the business of the ring, or rings as it seemed to be in this production, got rather confusing. The director made the choice not to depict the “bed trick” visually and I wonder whether audience members unfamiliar with the play would have followed what is a very crucial turning point in the action.
This production can be thoroughly recommended as an excellent example of what can be achieved by presenting Shakespeare as it was written with just good actors and the text. The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse provided a beautiful setting. I would advise anybody unfamiliar with the play to spend a little time with a synopsis to get the maximum out of it, the Wikipedia entry would suffice.
Playing until 4th January 2025, https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/alls-well-that-ends-well/
Reviewer: Paul Ackroyd
Reviewed: 21st November 2024
North West End UK Rating: