The aim is to stage a Shakespearean play in a day and Steven Arran, the director, states that the audience will not know the title until the curtain goes up. Hence the name Shakespeare’s Speakeasy because of their nature, during prohibition in America, speakeasys were in a secret location.

By Angie Millard

The cast are professionals who were given the role and their edited scripts several weeks ago but only come together on the day of performance. The company started in Newcastle and has now come to York which could be a terrific boost to our range of theatre.

In 2018, as a way to offer Shakespeare, minus the mystery and ‘poshness’ which was evident in many productions, Arran wanted to produce shows for local audiences in which they would see people like themselves. He wished to use provincial accents rather as Barrie Rutter did in his company Northern Broadsides in the 1990s. Rutter was told he could never play a king using his Northern accent and his reaction was: ‘just watch me.’

The show Shakespeare’s Speakeasy presented was Twelfth Night and it couldn’t have been a better choice, but first we must consider Arran’s role as director. There was much casting against gender with interesting results. He managed to create an ensemble in the six hours of rehearsal, which is a miracle in itself, and the type of actors he chose understood how to work together and compliment each other’s performances.  

I can say unreservedly that I have never seen a funnier letter scene and Jake Wilson-Craw as Malvolio used pauses and audience reaction to ultimate effect while the hidden eavesdroppers, Sir Toby, Andrew Aguecheek and Maria, popped up and down from their hiding place with perfect timing. Ian Giles is a master at judging his audience and his drunken Sir Toby Belch was masterful. Claire Morley played a mischievous Viola with perfect command of her soliloquies and bags of style. Tempest Wisdom, who is also a trained clown, doubled as Orsino and Sir Andrew Aguecheek (both complete contrasts) and with her scarlet hair and utterly camp characterisations,  she always introduced manic energy and pace. Alice May Melton was an unusual Olivia who captured the eccentricity of the role. Maria, played by Esther Irving, pulled the plot together  seamlessly and, of course, Malvolio shone as a comic impresario, a model for hundreds of gullible fools in classic comedy. I particularly enjoyed the way his yellow stockings and cross-gartering were represented, with homage to Jack Lemon’s sock suspenders!

I must also praise Julia Bisby and Rowan Naylor-Mayers who managed to make their minor characters funny and surprising with clever use of improvisation.

Shakespeare’s Speakeasy plans to expand to Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool.

So watch out, You saw it first in the North.

Cast: Esther Irving, Ian Giles, Julia Bisby, Tempest Wisdom, Jake Wilson-Craw, Rowan Naylor-Mayers, Alice May Melton, and Claire Morley

Shakespeare’s Speakeasy performed Twelfth Night at Theatre@41 Monkgate on 16 May 2024.