Forget dramatic backdrops and fancy stage lighting. Leave behind the cast of 50-plus actors, the entourage, the stage hands and the red velvet stage curtains. Instead, imagine a time where the stage was a small wooden deck, the cast were limited and all male and there were no special effects. Imagine just voices, instruments and props. Going back to theatre鈥檚 roots is how the Lord Chamberlain's Men operate best, going back to basics and performing Shakespeare in the style it was meant to be seen in. Founding member of the company, Mark Puddle feels Shakespeare's plays should really be done in this manner.
 | | Hippolyta |
He said: 鈥淭o set it in a bit of context, the Lord Chamberlain's Men were around when the plague hit London. All of the theatres had been closed so Shakespeare toured other places. He left with five actors and came back with seven.鈥 The present theatre company try to mimic this, having only seven male actors to play the various roles. 鈥淚t is hard to try to recreate it seriously, there is a fine line between a man in a dress being convincing or looking like a pantomime dame. We cast our roles very carefully鈥 added Mark. The company hold open auditions every February for actors, and receive some 300 applicants for the very limited number of places. Actors who were chosen in previous years are not necessarily chosen again. Making History The small band of seven male actors and an almost entirely female stage crew spend their summer touring places of natural beauty where it is presumed that William Shakespeare performed many years before them. Staying away from inner London and performing in outdoor venues only, the Lord Chamberlain's Men attempt to recreate history, and make a little bit of their own . Last year their production of Macbeth was the first performance with an all male cast for 150 years. There is no record for this year's production, A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream. 鈥淪omething like this hasn鈥檛 been done in a long time鈥 Mark said. 鈥淲e try to visit places where it is believed that Shakespeare had his plays performed in and we follow in the same style he did with a different play every.鈥 | "There is a fine line between a man in a dress being convincing or looking like a pantomime dame" | | Mark Puddle, The Lord Chamberlain's Men |
Their name also echoes the past as the Lord Chamberlain's Men were the most successful company of its time and Shakespeare being their principal playwright. They would often perform to royalty and were renamed the King's Men by James I. The idea to recreate the company came on a whim of Mark鈥檚 after brainstorming with some friends. 鈥淲e thought it would be quite cheeky to become the King's Men, but we asked Buckingham Palace anyway. We then received a very nice letter back saying that we couldn鈥檛 be the King's Men as there was no King on the throne, however we could be the Lord Chamberlain's Men if we liked. Of course we wanted to very much.鈥 The company was formed in 2002 but took a further two years to set up, with their first performance not taking place until summer 2005. 鈥淚t was supposed to be a one year stint鈥 said Mark, 鈥渂ut we were asked to create a five year plan. We ask the audiences to choose which play we do next.鈥 The audiences voted for a recreation of Romeo and Juliet to be performed next year. Mark grew up in north Wales and readily admits that there 鈥渨asn鈥檛 a lot to do". He moved to study at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and after a spell as an actor he set up the Lord Chamberlain's Men with a desire to 鈥渄o something different". 鈥淲e like to stay out of the centre of London, there鈥檚 a lot of things going on there. Instead we tour old Abbey鈥檚 in places like Ailesbury and places which don鈥檛 necessarily see a lot of live entertainment. The audiences are always really receptive as they鈥檝e usually been looking forward to the shows for a while.鈥 The Show Must Go On...
 | | Titania |
Even bad weather doesn鈥檛 hold them back. With over 107 shows under their belts this summer only one performance has had to be called off due to bad weather conditions. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always applause for carrying on in the rain. We just ask the audience to stay with us and at the end there鈥檚 a huge sense of getting through something together." A Midsummer Night's Dream review The Lord Chamberlain's Men brought their refreshingly traditional stage show to the grounds of the Old Cathedral in Coventry city centre last week, starting on Wednesday, 30 August and carrying on through to a matinee performance on Saturday, 2 September. Despite the size of the audience being quite small, the nights finished with loud enthusiastic applause. 鈥淐oventry Cathedral is a great setting鈥, said Mark. 鈥淭here are really great acoustics and the walls shut you away from the bustle of the city around it. We鈥檝e had small audiences but it鈥檚 a lot more intimate and personal. The cast and I have enjoyed it very much.鈥 The night started with the audience expectantly eyeing up a small wooden stage which looked as though it could be easily dismantled to fit into the back of an transit van, and lit by small outside lights rigged to the edges. The backstage area was concealed by a few curtains set up to resemble wings.
 | | Enchanted by fairies |
Despite the simplicity of the set up there was no loss to the quality of the story at all. The magic of the night was created by the performers and the audience and started with the cast singing traditional songs at the back of the audience and walking through them to the stage. From there, the play went without a hitch as cast members changed costumes in a split second and each performed two or three different parts with a sense of effortlessness and ease. Each character buzzed with a different personality causing the audience to laugh out loud. The portrayal of Bottom, the foolish craftsmen who was transformed into an ass seemed to be a favourite of the audience, one of whom frequently wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. The fairies moved like animals across the stage and popped out from trap doors in the floor, decorated with leaves and flowers. The carefree confident attitude of Puck convinced everyone watching him and despite each actor playing more than one role, each were defined differently. Without heed to the cold and the uncomfortable park benches, the audience remained captivated throughout the performance and at the end the cast were met with much applause. Cast member David Hughes and Andrew Young were very pleased with the night's events. 鈥淭onight has been brilliant, the crowd were fantastic鈥 said David, a 23 year old from London who, after his summer with the Lord Chamberlain's Men would like to try his luck in films. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to hear back from the audience in a place like this鈥 said 23 year-old Andrew, also from London. he added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy in a big venue for your voice to get lost and to not hear the audience, in here the walls make it easier." The Lord Chamberlain's Men have nearly finished this year's tour but you can catch them next summer with their interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. A fantastic night for all and surely the way Shakespeare should be seen.听 | 
