Nell Gwynn Theatre by the Lake Keswick Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by Jo Hardy

Co-presented by Theatre by the Lake, Shakespeare North Playhouse and Storyhouse Theatre, directed by Bryony Shanahan and written by Jessica Swale, who has recently become known for her work adapting Paddington Bear for the stage.

Set in the 1660s, this is the story of the famous orange seller turned actress who caught the eye of King Charles II. She grew up in poverty, was one of the first women allowed to act in the theatre, and was also the most famous of the many mistresses of King Charles II, adored by the public. As someone who didn’t intend to play by the rules, I think these days we would call her sassy.

Set in the round for a more immersive experience, and also incorporating one of the theatre’s boxes, the set design is quite simple, with moveable props. The costumes, designed by Jess Curtis, were fabulous. I especially loved Nell’s dresses with their tight-fitting bodices, and the wigs were also amazing. It tickled me to read in the list of creatives that they had their own wig supervisor.

The music was lively, with dance tunes of the period played on guitars, accordion, harpsichord and lots of percussion, all performed live by the talented cast.

The cast of eight gave a very lively performance. At almost two and a half hours, this show was slightly longer than usual, but it is packed with music, singing and dancing, and the energy from the cast never dropped. The story moved fast and I never lost interest. There were lots of references to people and events from history, many of which I probably missed. They also cleverly slotted in many mentions of the famous dogs, while a certain part of a lady’s anatomy also received a lot of mentions.

Rose Shalloo was the perfect choice for Nell. She always had a twinkle in her eye when she delivered her witty one-liners, a no nonsense woman but I could see her soft side.

Guy Woolf, playing King Charles II, also stood out to me. He was bold and lusty but also showed us a hint of his insecurities. I think my favourite was Stanton Wright as Edward Kynaston, a very flamboyant, camp character. He flounced around the stage, building up his part to the max, full of theatrical ego.

At the end, I felt there was genuine love and affection between Nell and King Charles II. It wasn’t just about lust and money; this was a proper love story. All theatre lovers owe King Charles II thanks for bringing theatre back to the people without him we may not be in the theatre tonight.

I thoroughly enjoyed it: a history lesson with a big side order of fun and plenty of sauce.

There’s always a lovely warm welcome at Theatre by the Lake, but on one of the hottest days of the year, the air conditioning in the theatre was extra welcoming.

Rating: 4/5

Nell Gwynn will be showing at Theatre by the Lake from 9th July to 1st August. The show runs for 170 minutes, including an interval, and is suitable for ages 14 and above. Most shows start at 7.30 pm, with 2.00 pm matinees on selected dates.

Ticket prices range from £12 to £48 and can be booked via the theatre website, theatrebythelake.com