REVIEW: Nell Gwynn

A City Hub review of the brilliant period comedy Nell Gwynn doesn’t really do it justice. It should be screamed from the front page of the tabloids. “Nell Gwynn comes to Sydney. You must see it!!” This play deserves to be part of our tapestry. Most Brits and the Irish know the legendary, true, rags to riches tale of Nell Gwynn, from 1600s England who went from slattern to princess, the daughter of a brothel owner who became an actress and the mistress of Charles II.

A ‘strumpet’ from Cheapside, London, Nell begins life hawking oranges, then begins acting classes after meeting Charles Hart, (Rupert Reid) from the King’s Playhouse. Her impudent prologues and comedic talent bring her leading roles and widespread fame as she becomes the darling of the English stage. In the lead role as Nell, Bishanyia Vincent is a lovable fiery voluptuous redhead with an incredibly cheeky wink, and a powerful voice, who tells it like it is.

With a cast of 16 actors, although it’s full of square dancing sequences and lots of witty ditties sung in rhyming couplets, it’s not sold as a musical, it’s more a ribald bawdy profane romp. It’s a hilarious start to the performance when actors who are placed in the audience start heckling, I give this opening a surprise factor of 10. 

Multi-award winning British playwright Jessica Swale won an Oliver Award for best comedy at London’s Shakespeare Globe and West End for this play in 2015. This Australian premiere at New Theatre sees a combination of excellent casting and well-developed characterisation, sustaining this clever play for over two hours. It’s a classic with similarities to Shakespeare, but without the archaic language, and you don’t have to grapple with a convoluted plot which makes it a lot more relatable.

New Theatre has lifted the game with their long tall panels that revolve, changing the set; the playhouse theatre dressing room, rehearsal space and King Charles’s palace. And with each scene change there is amazing musical accompaniment, a mix of baroque and chamber pieces with beautiful sounding lute, violins, cello, harpsichord and pan flute.

Until Sep 8. New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown. $20-$35+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.newtheatre.org.au

Reviewed by Mel Somerville.