Review: Play On

Rating: ★ ★ ★

There are blossoms on the Meadows, the nostalgic smell of disposable BBQs is lingering in the air, and Newington’s pubs are overflowing with exam-free students. Summer is tantalizingly close, which can only mean one thing: the Edinburgh Fringe is near. Previewing Play On, my excitement for this August increased. Merging Shakespeare with a commentary on modern sibling relationships in a highly unconventional setting, Play On epitomises the pathbreaking creativity we see yearly at the world-famous arts festival. While aspects of the script felt convoluted at times, its writer, Erin Boulter, has delivered a piece of theatre that is unique, perceptive, and amusing.

From the moment audiences are introduced to Lea and Ash, played by Rebekka Pewterbaw and Erin Boulter (two belligerent siblings who are tasked with finding the will of their late mother in a Shakespeare-themed escape room), it is clear something slightly ludicrous but also poignant is about to unfold. Lea, short for Ophelia and the elder sister by ten years, is a Type-A architect who disapproves of Ash’s more bohemian lifestyle. Ash, short for Sebastian and formerly known as Viola, is a non-binary queer-bookshop manager. While it appears these siblings have very little in common, their unresolved childhood traumas and shared grief mean the two have far more to discuss than they realised.

Their passion for Shakespeare also makes for a clever detail. The siblings are named after three of the most famous of the playwright’s characters: Hamlet’s Ophelia and Twelfth Night’s Sebastian and Viola. The reference to Hamlet masterfully evokes, within Play On’s dialogue, the themes of belonging and loss soliloquised by the eponymous tragic hero. Even more brilliantly, Twelfth Night alludes to Ash’s exploration of their gender identity. Modern critics argue that Viola, who disguises herself as a man and romances men and women, represents gender fluidity and queer love in the Elizabethan age. Erin’s script certainly did this complex literary context justice while appropriately modernising its themes. Even if you know very little Shakespeare or the words “iambic pentameter” send shivers down your spine (as it did this former A Level English Literature student), you will find Play On accessible as audiences are given a guide to the Shakespearean canon upon arrival.

However, there are aspects to Play On that felt incomplete and confusing. Admittedly, this was a script-in-hand preview and therefore it would be unfair to critique the actors for their somewhat unconvincing and hurried line delivery. While the production makes a careful attempt to explain the Shakespearean connotations of its plot, I found myself struggling to keep up with the familial dynamics. Some revision of the script could be beneficial, without taking away from the complexity of the characters.

Overall, Play On has abundant potential. Bringing Shakespeare into the modern age can be a difficult task. However, the production celebrates one of the greatest writers in the English language without pretension or mockery. Play On is challenging, comical, and yet relatable, and I expect to hear great things about it when it does take to the stage at the Fringe this August.