Review: ROUGH MAGIC, Shakespeare’s Globe
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
Rough Magic is a unique family show and a perfect treat for both kids and adults. It’s clever, playful, and full of interactive surprises. There’s plenty of silly chaos for younger audiences, balanced by smart Shakespearean references that give it a sophisticated wit.
Directed by Lucy Cuthbertson and co-written by Kerry Frampton and Ben Hales, this is the second full-scale family show at the Globe and a co-production with Splendid Productions. It draws on Shakespeare’s world to explore themes of destiny, using Macbeth as its anchor. Along the way, the play cleverly references The Tempest, Hamlet, and many more of the Bard’s best, which weave through the storytelling and create space for all ages to engage with Shakespeare’s fascination with magic, mystery, and the spiritual.
Holding the narrative together is a version of the Weird Sisters from Macbeth, who find themselves tasked with saving the world from an unexpected King. The witches – rather than echoing the darkness of their Macbeth counterparts, are given a redemptive, even uplifting arc. They explore moral qualities, mischief, and growth. It’s a smart reimagining that gently nods to King James I’s obsession with witchcraft, transforming a dark legacy into something hopeful and accessible for young audiences.
The work is brilliantly performed by all. Rosemarie Akwafo is delightful as the young and greener witch, Nona. Janet Etuk is engaging as Morai, the wiser of the three, and doubles as a mischievous Puck with great effect. Bryony Twydle, as Audeja, has moments that really get the audience on board, with wonderful comic timing and big-hearted energy.
Kerry Frampton, as the unlikely monarch Henry IX (who apparently does exist – wink wink, nudge nudge), also takes on a range of other mystical creatures. She is ridiculous in the best possible way as the villain of the show. She is physically funny, quick to banter and riff off the audience, and gloriously unlikeable in her role while being hilariously funny in every part she plays.
Rose Revitt’s costumes are a visual treat, rooted in Elizabethan design but with a modern edge. There are pantomime-style touches, yet the show doesn’t lean too heavily into that tone. Most of the cast multi-role with great skill, and the physicality throughout is excellent. The choreography by Kate Webster is a pleasure – playful and beautifully embodied by the ensemble.
The Globe makes this a wholesome, inclusive experience. It never patronises, and that’s what makes it work so well for a wide range of ages. It’s something you can take the kids to (even the hard-to-please ones) or use as the perfect excuse to bring along a niece or nephew.
The cast clearly relish every moment, there’s so much joy and play in the room, and that energy absolutely transfers into the audience. Though the show is packed with fun, it’s also structured with care, building towards a satisfying moral message. You leave feeling like you’ve shared something – not just with the characters, but with everyone around you.
Rough Magic truly earns its Olivier nomination and its place in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Don’t miss it!
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Stephanie Osztreicher
Rough Magic plays at Shakespeare’s Globe until 23 August, with further info here.
