04 August 2006

Under the Black Flag by Simon Bent

In England
Executioner - Andrew Vincent
King Charles I - John Dougall
John Silver - Cal MacAninch
Tom - Gary Collins
Ebenezer Silver - Howard Ward
Mary Silver - Jacqueline Defferary
Ann Silver - Jane Murphy
Mission - Robin Soans
Harold - Matthew DUnphy
Cromwell - John Dougall
General Harrison - Howard Ward
Bosun - John Dougall

Pirates
Kees de Keyser - Nicolas Tennant
Ben Gunn - Paul Hunter
Calico Jack - Joseph Marcell
Black Dog - Ciaran McIntyre
One-Eye Pew - Trevor Fox
Billy Bones - Paul Rider
Teach - Andrew Vincent
In Rabat Sale
Hamlet - Mo Sesay
Isabelle - Jacqueline Defferary
Sultan of Morocco - Joseph Marcell
Sula, The Sultan's Daughter - Akiya Henry
English Ambasador - Robin Soans
French Ambassador - Mathew Dunphy
Edward - Paul Rider
Frederick - Ciaran McIntyre
Angel - Akiya Henry

Directed by Roxana Silbert
Designed by Laura Hopkins

seen as a groundling at the Globe. I think this was it's first run.


It's great fun from start to finish. It follows a typical Shakespearean format much the same as Pericles etc where father looses daughter then finds her three hours later!

Most of the characters have a point where their entrance is via door 1 through the audience. I stood within a couple of feet of Cal and Nicolas etc several times. There is a scene where Cal's character plus his father and his best friend are challenged to remove their clothing in order to compare c@ck size. Sadly, only the father completes the request but the scene is hilarious. Cal does spend quite a while with his shirt off and the rest of the time with a billowy shirt barely buttoned. He cuts a dash as a pirate.

He shows a great range of emotion. Most of the saucy dialogue is in the first 15 minutes to get everyone's attention. There are many gags and many Shakespearean lines and references.

Nicholas was much more theatrical than the last time I saw him but he was fine as the major pirate and had the best costume. Cal lapsed his accent once but soon recovered.

Titus Andronicus was on for the matinee and it sold out!! A matinee! Even all the Yard tickets were sold! I really need to see this and I am so cavalier about turning up to theatres on the night and getting a cheap ticket. I guess I shall actually have to book ahead. Black Flag was probably three quarter full in the seats and half full in the yard. I prefer it that way because I like moving around (away from the talking tourists!)