If Shakespeare has always been considered an integral part of young people’s learning, then the past few years have seen an even greater push towards a creative approach to Shakespeare, arguably how his work should be known and taught. This is most evident in theatres and their efforts to create productions specifically for younger audiences, for example the Royal Shakespeare Company, Little Angel Theatre, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and the work of Tim Crouch.

Theatre critics and public audiences, especially young people, seem to be acclaiming theatres’ productions as worthwhile and necessary efforts. Michael Billington’s comment that the Young People’s Shakespeare The Comedy of Errors is for everyone “aged 9 to 99″ emphasises this point nicely. But in gearing these productions towards young people, breaking down the script and shortening the play, is there a danger that Shakespeare becomes too simplified? Do we need separate Shakespeares? Or are these productions an integral part of young people’s relationship with the bard?

By condensing Shakespeare’s plays for young people, there is inevitably the charge of stripping the works of their subtleties and nuances – much of what makes Shakespeare Shakespeare. Taking the most famous of the soliloquies as an example, do young people not lose the essence of craft, creativity and the sheer power of dramatic language by stripping “To be, or not to be” to its bare bones? In making the plays more accessible and watchable, perhaps we are doing a disservice to young people. Why does there need to be a division between Shakespeare productions for young people and a theatre’s usual output? Surely there are lots of ways to make the latter exist for the consumption of both younger and older audience members. Indeed, many theatres already make this possible.

Then what about the flipside of the coin? Perhaps it is necessary to break down the plays to a point which is seemingly on a level with young people. Rather than seeing the productions as simplifying or stripping the plays of their subtleties, they serve to draw out themes, emphasise key lines and ultimately make them understandable and accessible, and provide their audiences with a window into the world of Shakespeare.

The most prominent and striking elements of these productions are the playful, creative and physical devices, among which are tap dancing (Comedy), puppetry (The Tempest), and music devised and played by the acting company. Their function is, usually, two-fold: an entertainment device, and a means by which character and language can be conveyed. Through these elements, Shakespeare productions for young people demonstrate how Shakespeare can be played with, presented and thought about imaginatively, and offer ways in which young people might creatively approach Shakespeare themselves.

I have asked more questions than I have answered, precisely because I am undecided on this matter. With the tragedies and late plays, the most complex and nuanced of all, often taking centre stage, I am left with the question: what can these productions really do for young people which others can’t?

Image credit: Marie Il

One is captivated upon entry. Catching a glimpse of this season’s much talked about set is a real privilege. The set, a piece of an art installation in its own right,  features the tail-end of a torn passenger plane surrounded by the all too real debris of human belongings, perfectly scattered amongst the stage. As night falls, the audience is thrown into the disturbing tale of human savagery.

William Golding’s famous novel Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of young school boys who find themselves stranded on an island following a plane crash. Initially, the boys are excited at the prospect of living without adult supervision. Soon, however, their adventure transforms into the uncanny power struggle between Ralph (the elected leader) and Jack (a very forceful discrepant). This power struggle between Jack and Ralph divides the group; creating two very different factions, making way for an unruly, almost familiar, descent into primal violence.

It is a privilege to see that the production’s director, Timothy Sheader, has managed to remain faithful to Golding’s vision whilst preserving the essence of Nigel William’s adaptation to the stage. Sheader skilfully uses a mixture of enchantingly atmospheric music, energetic physical movement, the incessant stomping of feet, blood, fire and the repetition of tribal chants to create some breath-taking moments.

Generally, the production fails to disappoint. The only criticism would be that the first half of the performance felt a little stretched out, often relying on the over-enthusiastic performances of some of the cast members. The dialogue proved repetitive at times, fooling the audience into a false build-up and then rather disappointingly falling somewhat flat.

The second half over-compensated for the above. As London descended into night, the performance came alive with a magnificent albeit sombre glow, adding to the spooky liberation of human savagery, paving the way for the show’s outstanding performances. James Clay engineered Jack’s transformation into evil both confidently and convincingly, whilst the performance’s element of madness can be  mostly attributed to his loyal sidekick Roger, artfully played by Matt Ingram. George Bukhari was cast perfectly as Piggy, playing him with unremitting conviction, during his professional debut.

A visual spectacle. An inspiring showcase of young talent, creative genius and intelligent direction.

Lord of the Filies is playing at Regents Park Open Air Theatre until 18th June. For more information and tickets, see the website here.

Regents Park Open Air Theatre is a naturally brilliant setting for Into the Woods. The stage seems to have sprung up from the surrounding trees in a tangle of wood and metal like a mistreated Sylvania Families play set. It’s a tree house any kid would long to play in.

There are few songs from Into the Woods that you would get away with at karaoke but that ain’t no bad thing. Sondheim is a tricky little beast. Brits seem to feel more at ease with the potted pop that Andrew Lloyd Webber hammers out, where the hit songs from the show sit easily in the singles chart. If you’re looking for something hummable, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Into the Wood features one of Sondheim’s best scores. Interwoven and complex, melodies grow organically from one another making the relatively lengthy 2hrs 30 zip along at a raring speed.

The humour of the show is brilliantly sent up, tongues firmly in cheek throughout. The cast seem to be having a great time on this show, none more so than Michael Xavier. He is helped by having the juiciest roles; the bit of rough wolf fresh from a snack at Smithfields, and a conceited prince, channelling a touch of a cyber goth Russell Brand on his best behaviour.  Xavier thrusts and bounds his way throughout the show, his buoyancy matched with superbly witty vocal performances. His scenes are a real highlight in a fantastic production.

There has been a lot invested into the smaller details of the show. This is where Digital Theatre comes into its own. Sitting comfortably at home, you’ve got the best seats in the house and get to have a good old stare at Cinderella’s nose ring or the brilliantly gruesome plucked out eyes of the Prince.

The charming hotchpotch nature of it all begins to unravel towards the end of the story. The cameras appear to have difficulty capturing the quick turns of the story against the on-set of night and the previously sharp quality of the recording diminishes.

Just as The Sound of Music would be a much more tune-filled and pacey story if you cut out the faff with the Nazis, Into the Woods could end quite neatly at the close of the first act. The grimness of Into the Woods doesn’t take centre stage until the second act but this is sadly underwritten with a creeping sense of déjà vu with numerous reprises. It’s a minor niggle, one more rooted in the score than in the perky staging on offer here.

A smart addition to this production is in the casting of a young boy as the Narrator, which adds a real emotional heart to the fantastical fairy tales. When the boy’s make believe story starts to riot against him, the stakes are raised all the higher.

Into the Woods is a fantastic addition to the Digital Theatre library . Point your telly out the window, hook up a couple of speakers and kick back in the garden with Pimm’s. Though no match for enjoying the actual performance under the stars, this is a fun and impressive piece of digital theatre crying out to be enjoyed in the open air.

You can download Into the Woods from Digital Theatre, find out more here.