Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night's Dream
In Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare, no two evenings are the same, not even for the actors, who take turns getting drunk each time, leaving the rest of the team to handle whatever unfolds.
Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare’s 2024 production run sees the comedy troupe attempt to present A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Beth-Louise Priestley takes on the job of compere, introducing the premise of the show. With a honk that she uses to pause and resume the play, steps in when necessary to keep the drunk actor safe and get them through the entire show.
To add to the chaos, several audience members are given a gong, a tambourine, and a drum that can only be hit once, which indicates a moment for the drunk actor to have another drink.
On this particular evening, the drunk actor is Julia Bird, in the roles of Hermia and Peter Quince. Prior to the show’s start, Bird has already consumed 3 cans of beer and half a bottle of vodka.
Needless to say, Bird is already sh!t-faced by the first scene, accidentally knocking a ruffle off Lysander’s (Eugene Evans) costume.
Try as she might to stay focused, Bird derails all of scene one, which lasts for almost 25 minutes. In any other circumstance, this would be a professional production’s nightmare. For Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare, this is perfect, giving the other cast members tons of material to riff off and make jokes at Birds’ expense.
For most of the evening, the ensemble pretends Bird is sober and manages to keep their faces straight. Actors Keable, Evans, James Murfitt and Stacey Norris deliver incredible comebacks when acknowledging something Bird says out of character.
Thankfully, Bird is a delightful drunk who chatters non-stop, hugs everyone and gives affirmations. At one point, she breaks away from the scene to tell the audience what a brilliant actor Natalie Boakye is with such sincerity, that even Boakye seems pleasantly touched by the gesture.
One can imagine how different the show might have turned out if Bird were to be angry, sad or trashy.
At one point, Bird assumes she is in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, calling Puck (Charlie Keable) Tumnus, before telling the audience Tumnus is a paedophile to cheers and applause of agreement. This becomes one of the largest running jokes of the evening.
Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare is the closest one can get to a great night out with the drunkest friend, but with none of the responsibility. The shows promises to be fun, energetic and raucous, and absolutely delivers.
This show was reviewed on the 19th July 2024 at the Leicester Square Theatre where it runs until the 7th September 2024. Tickets available here: What's on - Leicester Square Theatre
Review written by Penelope Bao
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Photo credit: Andrew AB Photography
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