Are you in London? Or reasonably near?

Then do go and see Shakespeare in Love – the stage version – at the Noël Coward Theatre.

I was not reasonably near – I flew from Italy to London and back again within forty-eight hours (while nursing a huge cold) for the sake of this play, and oh, was it ever worth it!

Much as I love the film, the stage version is better. Much better, in fact – with superb musicians onstage (one of them a fabulous countertenor), Declan Donnellan’s smart, lovely direction that makes the most of a set gorgeous in its simplicity, great performances from everyone, and above all an adapted script that centres everything firmly on theatre – and partly does so by expanding Kit Marlowe’s role. Oh, and of course there is the dog…

Can one ask for more?

Have a look at the trailer, read playwright Lee Hall’s thoughts on writing the adaptation, and then go see for yourself.

Related articles

• Shakespeare in Love, Noël Coward Theatre – review: this adaptation has a fizzy, infectious exuberance (standard.co.uk)
• Shakespeare in Love at the Noel Coward Theatre (thetimes.co.uk)