4 STARS
The year is 1685 and King Charles II is on his deathbed. Nell Gwyn, orange-seller, actress, and royal whore is in her bedchamber with her maid speculating over what is to become of her after the king’s passing. What will happen to her? What will become of the country? The conversation between Margery the maid and Nell delves into the character and history of the infamous prostitute, who raised from the gutter to be one of the first actresses of the Restoration stage, then went on to become a royal mistress and a member of King Charles II’s court.
A play with just two actors, Nell (played by Elizabeth Mansfield) is a lively bordering on manic character. Mansfield depicts a wide range of emotions from ecstatic to desperately maudlin, all the while interjecting humour and passion into the entire performance. Margery (played by Angela Curran) bounces off the character of Nell well and has a fantastic dry humour that provided a lot of the bawdy comedy in the play. Don’t expect typical 15th century sensibilities in this play – enough toilet humour and penis jokes pass between the two women to satisfy the most laddish among us!
Also delving into the politics and the social problems of the time, the play offers an interesting overview of the Restoration Monarchy and the changes it brought about society. Despite this being a production with just one set the two women offer a colourful informative view of the period, making this a great play for someone particularly interested in the Restoration.
Music was also an element that was used often. Nell regularly broke into Baroque song, which while adding slightly to the mood of the play, I found myself tuning out and waiting for the dialogue to return, which was for more interesting. The lighting was far more effective, the subtle changes helped create the different atmosphere and direct attention from one character to another.
‘How will I be remembered?’ Nell asks as she awaits her fate. The play ensures that she is truly remembered as ‘pretty witty Nell’, a lively, passionate figure that makes us reconsider our image of her derived from the history books.
Image courtesy of Nottingham Lakeside Arts