SHAKESPEARE REFASHIONED AT SELFRIDGES

http://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/content/article/shakespeare

It seems to be the rule that you only define yourself a true Londoner once you have adopted complete Oxford Street snobbery, remaining in a permanent state of frustration and despair at the crowds of tourists polluting what is said to be the capital’s best shopping street. And much as I would like to pretend my postcode starts with SW and I don’t live dangerously close to the M25, I don’t think I will ever acquire this genuine Londoner arrogance. The prime reason I’ll always have a bit of tourist in me? My childish affiliation towards Selfridges.

Usually I’m wondering round the luxury bag department, sheepishly picking up a Stella McCartney tote and using the classic ‘I’m putting it on my birthday list’ excuse to get away quickly when the sales assistant heads towards me. But recently, Selfridges has pulled me in for a reason much closer to home, with their new ‘Shakespeare Refashioned’ range of clothing cleverly inspired by the infamous English playwright. What initially caught my attention was the selection of lavish window displays in 'Act I', the first installment of the collection. These focused on what Sefridges describes as the 'lightness of comedy and romance', whilst the later additions to the rage, 'Act II', brought depth and mystery to the concept. The most relevant and interesting window display was by Han Chong, of Self-Portrait, whose representation of Katherine, the sharp-tongued and rebellious female protagonist from The Taming of the Shrew, visualised his image of the 'Self-Portrait woman'.

Katherine, from The Taming of the Shrew, in a window display by Self-Portrait
http://www.self-portrait-studio.com/

Though undoubtedly intricate and incredibly beautiful, the 'Act II' in-store collection was somewhat monotonous with relation to the selection of plays chosen as a stimulus - Romeo and Juliet being the most popular option throughout. On the contrary, Christian Louboutin and Isabel Benenato used traditional Elizabethan costumes as a muse for their more wearable additions to the range, which was a poignant and cleverly-worked idea. But the most exciting and crowd-pulling aspect of ‘Shakespeare Refashioned’ is the mini traverse stage on the lower ground floor, showing a stylish reinvention of Much Ado About Nothing by the Faction Theatre Company.

Having played ‘Benedick’ in Much Ado About Nothing myself, I was interested to see the performance reworked in such an unconventional setting – it’s not often that you go to Selfridges to see a piece of theatre. The show was simply fantastic, and I really recommend it to anyone who isn’t usually enticed by the complex, sometimes tiring nature of seeing a Shakespeare at The Globe.

Emma Thompson and Kenneth Brannagh in the 1993 film version of Much Ado

Much Ado About Nothing is easily one of Shakespeare’s funniest works, a humble yet effective plot where long-loathed enemies Beatrice and Benedick are set up by their cunning friends to fall in love, despite their childish bickering and Benedick’s determination to remain single for life: “when I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married!”. This pairing was conducted with upmost comic value by Daniel Boyd and Alison O’Donnell, as they captured a unique imbalance of intelligence between the couple, Boyd playing a rather goofy, fickle Benedick and O’Donnell adopting a snappy, in some places sarcastic, Beatrice. It worked really well to itemise their differences at the start of the play, eventually concluding with the idea that perhaps opposites do attract.

I’ve always thought the key to professional Shakespeare (and perhaps just drama in general) is placing emphasis on subtext, not really the language in the lines themselves, in order to make it clear what is actually going on. With a lot of children in the audience, this was of crucial importance for the cast of Much Ado, and not one member failed to make their intentions and character clear, meaning the show flowed perfectly with no scenes left questionable due to sometimes unintelligible Shakespearean script. On top of this, the addition of multimedia showing news reports as well as tweets by the characters kept the show accessible, modern and most of all funny. It was a great way to set the audience up, maintain pace and support the lovable and memorable plotline.

If you’ve decided to embark on the mission to becoming a real Londoner and have rebuked Oxford Street once and for all, perhaps reconsider. ‘Shakespeare Refashioned’, and Much Ado About Nothing in particular, prove that sometimes the most enjoyable things to do in London can be buried… exactly where a tourist might think. The show finishes on Saturday 24^th September, and I really recommend catching it if you’re in the city and looking for some exceptional yet classic comedy.

Watch the trailer for Much Ado About Nothing at Selfridges http://www.thefaction.org.uk/news