Not having read much about it, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Play On – and sometimes that is the best way. With no expectations, you are more easily pleasantly surprised.
I am not a musicals kind of person usually but, having seen this was a take on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, I wanted to give it a go. And I was certainly right to do so; Play On is Shakespeare in a way you have never seen before.
Set in 1940’s Harlem, the play tells the story of a young songwriter called Vy who, in order to be taken seriously in a man’s world, decides to pretend she is a man. It is this way that she meets the Duke – the owner of New York’s Cotton Club – and the gorgeous singer known as Lady Liv.
Play On is very easy to follow, particularly so for a Shakespeare tale. With plenty of singing and dancing, I found this to be a generally happy, uplifting story and I loved how those two elements were at the centre of the play.
Apart from the outstanding acting from all, a highlight for me were all the gorgeous outfits (the women’s dresses were all so beautiful) and the effort that had clearly gone into hair and make up.
Despite the general light tone of the play, it touches on serious topics such as racism and gender roles, challenging them. There is also a love triangle at the heart of it, with the dynamic evolving and changing throughout.
To my surprise, a DJ set was waiting for all of us in the hall at the end. Dancing at the Old Vic felt very special, and like a real treat. It was certainly an unexpected, but lovely end to a great evening.
Play on is at the Bristol Old Vic until Saturday, January 25. 7.30pm/ 2.30pm (Sat & Thu mat), tickets from £13 (plus concessions). Approx. 2hrs 30mins (incl. 20 min interval), ages 7+