Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
The Edinburgh University Shakespeare Society’s annual “Shut Up, Shakespeare!” showcase once again proved that Shakespeare’s work thrives best when reimagined with flair, irreverence, and a keen eye for the intricacy and absurdity of modern life. This year’s selection featured three productions—each engaging with Shakespeare’s canon in strikingly different ways—yet bound by a commitment to bold reinterpretation.
First on the bill was ‘A Trip to Elsinore’, a psychedelic, bus-stop-bound retelling of Hamlet, where magic mushrooms, daddy issues, and the perils of vehicular mayhem combine to tease out the humorous nature of some of Hamlet’s lines which often go unappreciated. Under Bella Burgess’s direction, this adaptation sharply satirizes the privileged woes of Pollock Halls’ finest, with Hamlet’s existential dread reframed as the complaints of a trust-fund student. Rhodd Friswell as Hamlet embodies the perfect blend of self-indulgence and existential crisis, but it is Gabrielle Collins as Horatio who truly steals the show. Her impeccable comedic timing and wry delivery elevates every scene, proving that the best supporting roles often surpass their limitations. Even more impressive, Collins steps in for a second role, returning to demonstrate her versatility and talent later on in the showcase. The script also explores Hamlet’s underlying misogyny with subtle precision; Hamlet’s treatment of his mother Gertrude met not with outright acceptance but with a gentle, knowing mockery that landed perfectly with a modern audience.
In contrast, ‘Lady M Sees Red’ offers a fiery feminist reimagination of Macbeth, turning Lady Macbeth’s “Out, damned spot!” into a powerful contemporary metaphor for menstruation, patriarchal marriage structures, and the sacrifices women are constrained to make in the shadows of ‘vaultingly ambitious’ men. Director Zuza Soltykowska’s decision to weave original, Shakespearean-style verse into the piece was an inspired one—an impressive feat of dramatic writing that blended seamlessly with the original text while forging a fiercely independent voice. Isabella Dellazari Velarde’s performance is magnetic; monologues are no easy task, yet she commands the stage with such energy and charisma that it often felt like she was holding court with an invisible ensemble. Her dynamic interaction with props and the audience keeps the performance alive, ensuring that even a single-actor piece never ceases to be visually compelling.
‘As You Like It’ took a more traditional approach, presenting Scenes 3.2 and 3.3 of the Shakespearean comedy. While the performances are strong—Linyun Zha and Jannath Fazil have fantastic chemistry as Celia and Rosalind—one couldn’t help but wish this adaptation had taken a bolder step away from the original material. Given the inventive spirit of the other two pieces, this felt like a missed opportunity to push the text further. That said, the cast’s charm and clear enjoyment of the material makes it a delightful watch nonetheless.
Ultimately, Shut-Up Shakespeare showcases the Society’s ability to balance a reverence for the Bard with a sharp understanding of contemporary culture. It’s always a thrill to see Shakespeare adapted to fit the cultural and temporal milieu of Edinburgh Uni.
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