Rebel Harbour: the Fight for Lyme Regis

Marine Theatre Lyme Regis

Shanty Theatre’s return to the Marine Theatre is a triumphant and comic march upon the bastions of history. If you prefer your history dry and from a dusty textbook, this may not be the show for you. If however you want a stirring and hilarious reinterpretation of one of Lyme’s favourite tales, you must not miss out.

The story is based, somewhat loosely, on the siege of Lyme during the English Civil War. As every Lyme school child knows, royalists surrounded the Town but the parliament-supporting Lyme defied them, with the Town’s women joining the fight. This reviewer for one doesn’t know whether the local MP actually dressed as a bear to spy on the royalists, as the show claims (“it must be true, I read it in a book”), or whether Prince Maurice had a faithful companion brought up by a pack of dogs, but it doesn’t matter. This is a hugely entertaining and fast-paced romp through a convincing tale of local significance.

Shanty Theatre has built its reputation on the company’s ability to tell a local story with humour and imagination, appealing to audiences of all ages. Last year they created the popular Smugglers, based on local tales of the sea. This year’s offering provides perfect summer entertainment for visitors and residents alike.

The production carries something for all the family. The children in the audience delighted in the physicality of the versatile cast, portraying a huge variety of characters – and animals – and managing to fight an entire battle in one choreographed scene. The adults applauded clever twists and variations in plot and language, particularly during one of the most humorous, and certainly most literary, extended death scenes you could ever witness.

The show is very, very funny. The historical sideswipes are complemented by modern references to Mars bars, cocktail shakers, and parking problems; the literary and popular references range from Shakespeare to Michael Jackson via Jane Austen and Madonna

The music, specially written by Stu McLoughlin, sets the tone for the show, played on a variety of musical instruments by the five multi-talented actors. Drawing upon folk, classical and even pop roots, the tunes get in your head and you’ll find yourself humming them days after the show. Trudi Molloy’s simple set design allows the production to switch between scenes fluently and effortlessly, not letting the pace to flag.

Answer the call to arms, and rally at the Marine Theatre for a real summer treat.

The production runs until September 3rd.

Lyme Regis News, 13th August 2009