All Is But Fantasy
The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon
★★★★☆

THE term unique is overused, but in the case of this remarkable show by Tony Award-winning black American writer, director, composer, singer and actor, Whitney White, it is indisputably deserved.

It is what might be described as a four-act play, comprising and combining: a rock opera, a recontextualising of women’s roles in four of Shakespeare’s plays, a meta-theatrical feminist critique of theatre practice, and an examination of the social seductiveness of the Bard’s spellbinding language. It can be seen through one day, or across two separate days.

All this is played out by a brilliant six-strong cast backed by a live band singing and acting with a gospel energy.

Whitney explains her lifelong fascination with Shakespeare by asking: “What’s the difference between what you’re told and what you know?”

The developing treatment is of Lady Macbeth, a woman ruthlessly seeking and achieving power; Emilia, the powerless wife and tool of the villain Iago in Othello; Juliet, Romeo’s teenage doomed romantic lover; and intriguingly, Richard III’s female victims. Whitney notes that they all have to die, and asks why.

Whitney has skilfully orchestrated the moods between each story so while both music and tone for the Lady M is hard rock, for the hapless Emilia it is more soul.

After recognising what she sees as the stereotyped images portrayed in the women’s roles she has played so far, attitudes which may have been understandable in their own times but regrettably are still current today, she demands a reversal of roles in the final Richard III part, protesting, “I don’t have any more shes in me.”

Throughout, Whitney and her male counterpart, Daniel Krikler, playing Macbeth, Iago, Romeo and finally, if reluctantly, Lady Anne and Queen Elizabeth, handle the speeches from the plays with a confidence and understanding often not equalled by more regular Shakespearean actors.  

Macbeth’s three witches, Renee Lambe, Georgina Onuorah and Timmika Ramsay, support Whitney White throughout. Their singing and acting would enable any one of them to step into the lead if required.

Throughout all these parts Whitney informs and consults the audience. Having criticised the racist elements of the play, she challenges the audience, asking “Who thinks Othello is a good play?” only to say that she thinks it is the best as it makes us question.

I have only one reservation. The amplification level in the small theatre space often masks Whitney’s lyrics even though she does describe her bold and highly entertaining show as “gig theatre.”

Runs until February 21. Box office: 01789 331 111, rsc.org.uk