Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® hardly needs an introduction after fifteen years of sold-out chaos, but this year’s return to the Fringe sees the group tackling A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Underbelly’s McEwan Hall in Bristo Square. They perform it in their trademark style: part serious Shakespeare, part drunken bedlam. The formula is simple and brilliant. A classically trained cast stages an adaptation of Shakespeare’s work, with one actor per night given the dubious honour of performing utterly plastered. The result is a theatrical experiment that teeters on the edge of disaster while somehow still holding together.
This year’s choice of play is particularly well suited to the format. Shakespeare’s comedy of misplaced lovers, mischievous sprites, and donkey-headed fools is already ripe for absurdity, and the injection of alcohol only heightens the mayhem. The night I attended, Hermia was the unlucky (or lucky) chosen drunk, and her slurred line readings, off-script asides, and occasional breaks of character had the audience in stitches. There’s something irresistible about hearing Shakespeare’s carefully crafted verse derailed by someone blurting out whatever comes into their gin-soaked head.
That said, I did find myself wondering just how “sh!t-faced” the actor actually was. Despite the pre-show announcement of half a bottle of gin consumed, she seemed more tipsy than truly legless.
The production has been cleverly trimmed, leaving enough of the plot to hold everything together while still giving space for shenanigans. Audience participation, irreverent quips and a good dose of naughtiness, all add to the sense that anything could happen. Puck, in particular, makes for a perfect accomplice to the drunken antics, breaking the fourth wall and coaxing the audience into fits of laughter.
Is this the best way to appreciate Shakespeare’s language and artistry? Absolutely not. But is it one of the funniest, rowdiest hours you’ll spend at the Fringe? Without question. Even if you lose track of the plot, you’ll be swept along by the sheer silliness of it all. Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® remains a riot, and I’ll make sure to see what they come up with next year.
Image by Andrew AB Photography, provided to The Student as press.