Have you ever wondered what would happen if you took two of Shakespeare’s tragedies – Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet – and smashed them together? The three gentlemen from Sound & Fury have combined the tales of the star-crossed lovers and the procrastinating prince into a true ‘Fakespearean’ (their word, not mine) masterpiece.

The action takes place on a simple black stage with a balcony. Everyone in Elsinore is getting ready for quite a weekend, with the funeral of the old King of Denmark, and the wedding of the new King, his brother, to the old King’s wife. Not to mention Polonius Capulet is having a party. Hamlet is suspicious about his uncle’s rise to the throne and his father’s timely death, but is momentarily distracted by the appearance of fair Juliet.

The three stars of the production, Ryan Adam Wells, Richard Maritzer and Patrick Hercamp, are outstanding, performing multiple roles and charging through costume changes with plenty of aplomb, laughs and a few marvelous hats. Dressed in their finest Elizabethan-wear, they are equally at home leaping around the stage or projecting sonnets to the back row. Their energy and clear love of performing shines through. They have also managed to combine official Shakespearean text (“Get thee to a nunnery!”) with modern jokes and slapstick comedy, and still have enough breath left to undertake a Q&A session with students who attended the show.

The performance incorporates aspects of vaudeville, with the demolition of the fourth wall and lots of physical comedy. This, and the energy of the performers, gives it a fun and fresh feel, especially during the audience participation segments. Although there are some scenes you can be reasonable sure were written and scripted – such as the fantastic prologue and the musical numbers – you are never 100% sure if what you are seeing is scripted, improvised or a mistake that the cast have decided to run with. In a Q&A session after the show, performers Richard, Ryan and Patrick explained that the show is a mixture of all three, with bits and pieces being added and changed over the course of the two years the show has been running, meaning that each performance is different.

Although probably most enjoyed by those who know the original Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet fairly well, added pop culture references, physical comedy, musical numbers and the explosive energy of the performers means that this tale of Hamlet and his slightly masculine Juliet will appeal to those of all ages (not younger than thirteen however, as there are some mature jokes). If you enjoy reinterpreted Shakespeare, or more importantly, if you enjoyed making fun of Shakespeare in high school, this show is for you.

Sound & Fury’s “Hamlet and Juliet” is showing at the Pig Tales Tent in Gluttony, from 27^th February – 1^st March, 6^th – 8^th March and 13^th – 15^th March.