WEBLINKS
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 |  | Review by Faye Claridge, website producer
Considering the passions involved, the zero death-rate was amazing. But, then, this was not Shakespeare.
I went to see The Island Princess by the RSC, one of the productions in the new season's series of lesser-known plays by Shakespeare's contemporaries.
Written by John Fletcher in 1621, the play has all the passion, guts and comedy of Shakespeare's finest works, but without the deaths.
| |  | Shelley Conn and Claire Benedict
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It was my first visit to The Swan and I was bowled over by the venue. The production used the scale and shape of the space perfectly. The different entrances and levels provided a constant source of surprise and pace-change.
The tiny auditorium made the best of the actor's spectacular use of eye contact, confrontation, confession and physical comedy.
The Island Princess had a lot of all of the above, too.
The entire room was transported to Spice Island with warm lighting, incense smells, chiming music and rich fabrics.
Despite being a daringly minimal set, the overall atmosphere and aesthetic was completely exotic.
The music was a key element. The live instruments, played by musicians and actors, created a throbbing, derilious ambience throughout.
| |  | Jamie Glover and Claire Benedict
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The themes of the play, however, were far more relevant than exotic, despite the play's 400-year-old vintage. They were the classics beloved by actors and audiences alike - loyalty, greed, love, racism, mischief, religion, violence and comedy.
All these themes were doled out in such a quick-paced, varied and enthralling manner that I was washed along with them. Complicated ideas and convoluted plans swept me along as if they were as familiar and easy as small talk.
This ease of communication was entirely due to the skill of the company. Winning over an audience with an unfamiliar play should be a huge challenge, but the actors made it look like child's play.
The actors seemed to be relishing the performance, too. In the intimate setting of The Swan, the audience inevitably caught this enthusiasm very quickly. They absolutely loved it. And so did I.
Of particular note were the comic performances, over-acted with a delicacy that avoided slap-stick but that kept the mood manic and exciting.
In summary, don't be put off by the unfamiliarity of the play. Go and see The Island Princess and embrace the exotic flavour of a new experience.
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