Review: ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, Shakespeare’s Globe

Photo credit: Marc Brenner

Helen, daughter of a deceased physician, is in love with Betram. Betram is not in love with her at all. When Helen is able to cure the King of France’s illness, she is rewarded by being allowed to choose a husband and she chooses Betram. So naturally, he marries her then immediately goes to war and insists that he will only actively and willingly be her husband if she is able to prove herself…is she up to the task? What lengths will she go to to secure the object of her affections?

All’s Well That Ends Well first appears in Shakespeare’s ‘First Folio’, which was published seven years after his death. According to the show’s programme: “No record survives of an early performance, but it is likely to have formed a part of the repertory of Shakespeare’s company at the Globe…” So how did it come to be published in the ‘First Folio’? The publishers used the Bard’s copy of the manuscript to add it to the collection. Whilst no one is entirely sure when it was first performed, according to the Royal Shakespeare Company website, “it is usually dated 1603-06 on stylistic grounds.”

The show is rarely performed so we felt excited to get the opportunity to see it live, and at the beautifully candle lit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Director Chelsea Walker describes the show as “a thriller-esque social satire which interrogates power dynamics across class, gender and sexuality, and explores how far we’ll go to save face…” Whilst she does precede to acknowledge that the show would have to be re-discovered for modern audiences, we find that upon watching the show, it doesn’t seem to quite fit the perceived intentions.

It’s significantly more humourous than thrilling. Given the many content warnings which are given to this show, we expect it to be intense and heart-racing and at times, a bit difficult to watch. Unfortunately, it is none of these things. The funeral scenes, the King’s supposedly deadly illness and the war scenes could all be improved by heightening the emotional intensity and actively provoking reactions from the audience, thus making the audience empathise with the characters and making the show more memorable.

The most anticipated scene is after the interval, the start of Act Three, which opens with the stark image of soldiers in balaclavas. But this ends up becoming a significantly tame scene as opposed to the dramatic scene of chaos and destruction, which the audience expects. The direction could be altered to let the tension really shine through, creating an overall very intense atmosphere, which would encourage the audience to better connect with the characters and would allow for the preceding moments of comedy to be even more heightened.

As a Shakespearean comedy, the show works very well, with the cast showing a clear understanding of these comedic moments and how to really sell them to the modern audience. As a result, the audience tends to be very reactive, especially during the moments of hilariously awkward sexual tension, which is a good sign of success.

We enjoy seeing the evolution of the characters, with Ruby Bentall bringing out a borderline obsessive fan side to her interpretation of Helen and Emilio Doorgasingh creating a tremendously slimy villain character that we all love to hate. By far the most interesting actor to watch is Kit Young. His interpretation of Betram as a bisexual man trying to navigate his gender and sexuality in a binary world, where the expectations and ideals of masculinity are repeatedly pushed upon him, is masterfully done with an exceptional level of grace and attention to the nuances of his character.

We aren't entirely sure about the design of the show. It is relatively plain in comparison to most productions of Shakespeare’s plays, which can work very well when the time period in which the version of the show is set is clearly stated. This seems to be set in modern times but we aren’t entirely sure when, meaning that an element of context, much needed for audiences to better understand this lesser known Shakespearean play, is lost. Additionally, costumes can add further depth to characters by showing us elements that are part of both the character’s and the play’s subtext. This key element appears under-considered as the costumes are plain and stay within the realm of specific colour scales for unexplained reasons. But this element could be improved to tell audiences more and reveal deeper layers of both the story and the characters who inhabit it.

Well intentioned and humorous, but lacking the tension needed for the play to have a strong core and a beating heart.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Megan O’Neill

All’s Well That Ends Well plays at Shakespeare’s Globe until 4 January, with further info here.