Imagine you had a time machine and travelled back to 1865. You'd be able to see the first ever play performed at the Theatre Royal. That's right, Nottingham's beloved venue is celebrating a special anniversary: that iconic portico with its Corinthian columns has been delighting theatregoers for exactly 150 years.
Oh wait, we don't need a time machine. The very same play is enjoying a revival in honour of the grand old dame's birthday. The famous 'School For Scandal,' written by Richard Sheridan in 1777, returns after one and a half centuries. But this is no ordinary production. This is a promenade. The scenes move between the foyers, the galleries, the bar, even down to the bowels of the building.
The plot twists around high society in Hanoverian London where the idle rich enjoy spreading gossip and lies, and better still, ruining the affairs of others. Lady Sneerwell and her cronies Snake and Sir Benjamin Backbite set out to destroy the Teazle family. Sir Peter Teazle is about to be cuckolded by his younger wife. Then there are his wards, brothers Joseph and Charles Surface. One is good and the other a blaggard, but which is which? Appearances are deceptive. Throw in a love-struck damsel, a rich uncle in disguise, an assortment of drunken party animals and a chorus of painted clowns, and the cast is complete.
This performance is a lot of fun, with the actors all embracing their roles with relish. The audience is practically cheek-to-cheek with the cast, so expect to feel very much part of the action. You may be called on to be an extra or hold a prop, and you'll certainly do a lot of sitting down, standing up, and walking about.
The costumes and make-up are particularly exquisite. Think Georgian England, by way of Punk Britannica. Derek Jarman would have loved it. Snakeskin and leopard spotted jackets, embroidered waistcoats and pantaloons - and that's the men. The ladies are dolled up in whalebone corsets, crinoline and bizarre wigs of shredded paper. Every face is dowsed in white grease.
And the finale? The last act is the only one to take place on the stage, but with the audience seated at the back: it provides a unique opportunity to see the theatre from the actor's perspective. The evening ends with free bucks fizz and a chance to wander the set and mix with the players, all in honour of the Theatre Royal. Here's to the next 150 years!
The School for Scandal, Theatre Royal, Tuesday 8 - Saturday 12 September, £13.50.
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
