BREATHING new life into a little-known early 17th century play that has not been staged for about 150 years was never going to be easy.
Philip Wilson, who directs the play (and is also artistic director at Salisbury Playhouse) is, by his own admission, an enthusiast for the lesser-known plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries, of whom Salisbury-born Philip Massinger was one.
This production delights in several areas: a strong cast delivers acting that never drops below the gold standard. The decision to dress actors in Victorian/Edwardian clothing delivers an historical offset from the 21st century that probably reflects how it would have been done in the original production and avoids the conventionality of doublet and hose.
But, long and convoluted sentences delivered in verse and at machine-gun speed demand a great deal of a modern audience. Decoding the meaning demands the youngest of ears, quickest of minds and (probably) a reasonable familiarity with the language of the period.
Secondly the plot is essentially trivial and lacks credibility, a mile away from the grand themes of Shakespeare, and sliding into panto-like farce in the second half.
So was the corpse worthy of exhumation? In an arts-festival context, with a shorter run and as an example of the work of the period, the answer would certainly be ‘yes’.
As a month-long, prime-time main-house production, The Picture was a brave choice and I can’t imagine it being better-produced or acted anywhere else.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here