Something rotten

Review by: Paul Towers, 02 March 2018

Something rotten – written and performed by Robert Cohen

Directed by Jenny Rowe

Upstairs @ The Western, 2 March 2018

“bravura performance”

Those that braved the appalling weather conditions tonight (including Robert Cohen) were treated to a very accessible telling of Hamlet’s uncle Claudius’s version of events.

At times petulant and then grandstanding, this is the turmoil after the old King Hamlet is murdered and his brother seizes the throne of  Denmark and marries his erstwhile sister-in-law. As Claudius addresses his allies and advisors with lots of talk about transitional powers and shaping the future this could almost be a lecture on Brexit!

Robert Cohen’s bravura performance is a series of vignettes whereby Claudius is justifying his actions and planning his ultimate solving of ‘the Hamlet problem’, i.e. his nephew’s attempt to claim the throne.

Written in a style which is understandable to even this Shakespeare-phobe, Cohen has fashioned an entertaining fleshing out of the character of Claudius told in modern English but with Shakespearean echoes enough to sound authentic. Listen carefully and a whole host of  authentic words and phrases from the original play can be spotted.

This is Robert Cohen’s third visit to Upstairs at The Western and the third time he has entertained us with a hugely professional show.

Full details of his current work can be found at https://robertcohen.weebly.com

A taste of the show can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=b64VLXTSMv8

Upstairs at The Western http://upstairsatthewestern.com/
First published on Western Gazette