Fight in the Dog provide an entertaining if occasionally flat take on Shakespeare’s comedy.
This tale of mistaken identities is given new life by being performed by comedians, who show a great gift for timing – but sadly not depth of the characters to make the audience care about their situation.
It is down in part to the abridged version of play, which doesn’t allow for much character development and the fact that there is a sense of heightened comedy – even the moments which originally weren’t particularly funny.
However, what the heightened sense of comedy does do is highlight even further the cruelty of the rick that is played on Malvolio and really showcases the nonsensical side to the play, for example the scene where Toby and company jump into wheelie bins to hide from Malvolio is well executed and delightful to watch.
There is no doubting any of the cast’s enthusiasm and energy, but this first project from Fight in the Dog felt a bit flat, only really coming to life when the true identity of Viola is revealed.
Directed by founder of Fight in the Dog Liam Williams, it is a very lighthearted performance, but lacking in depth that makes it hard to appreciate.
Fight in the Dog has certainly a lot of potential to be a success but just needs a bit more confidence and faith in their ability to create quirky and unique productions to explore the difference and similarities between theatre and comedy.
Overall, it was an interesting interpretation of the play that brims with ideas but at times came across as lacking in finesse to make it truly successful.
Find out more about Fight in the Dog here: http://www.fightinthedog.co.uk/