Elisabeth Marie
Rating: 4/5

Formed in the United Kingdom in 2010, Magnificent Bastard Productions is dedicated to the noble art of dressing up and mucking around. With their 2020 Fringe show, Shit-faced Shakespeare, Magnificent Bastard Productions proudly presents five entirely professional Shakespearean actors, one entirely serious production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and one entirely shit-faced cast member!

Our performance’s cast included Louise Lee as Gertrude, Saul Marron as Claudius, James Murfitt as Hamlet, Richard Hughes as Laertes, and Maryam Grace as an extremely shit-faced Ophelia. The cast is well-practised in the art of Shakespearean theatre, and perform their characters with enthusiasm and ease. They have perfected the attitudes, accents, and quirks of each character and impress the audience with their ability to bring a classic production into the modern era.

Shit-Faced Shakespeare brings hilarity to the world of Shakespearean theatre, as while most of the cast is trying to perform, one cast member is having the time of their lives messing around on stage, forgetting their lines, and interacting with the audience. Maryam Grace adorably forgot her lines and got quite flirty with her cast members – but the most iconic part of her performance was the extremely inappropriate comments that came from her mouth! The way the rest of the cast works around the shit-faced member is admirable, as they have perfected improvisation to maintain consistency even with the nonsense being thrown at them.

The audience didn’t stop laughing throughout the performance, and cheered and gasped whenever the shit-faced cast member made a cheeky remark. Two members of the audience were given instruments to play when they thought the cast member should have another drink, which made everybody curious as to when they would hear the gong or horn!

A member of the audience was given the role of Polonius for the performance, and the cast did a brilliant job of including him in the act and making the most out of his character. They were lucky to have such an enthusiastic audience member participate, and the way they enjoyed performing with him was also enjoyed by the audience.

Shit-faced Shakespeare is the perfect show for both the fans of Shakespearean theatre and the people who have never encountered Shakespearean theatre before. The actors have genuine talent, and the addition of a shit-faced cast member adds a layer of hilarity to the classic play. Be sure to take your friends and drink to this genius rendition of a Shakespearean classic.

Details
Location: The May Wirth – Gluttony
Dates: 22/02/2020 – 15/03/2020
Ratings: Strong Language and Adult Themes
Ticket Price: 
Adult – $34.90ea
Concession – $29.90ea
Ticket Purchase: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/shit-faced-shakespeare-hamlet-af2020