Review: THE BOOK OF WILL at Gryphon Theatre

The Book of Will is a contemporary play by American playwright Lauren Gunderson, first premiering in January 2017 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. It went on to win the 2018 Harold and Mimi Steinberg / American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award, recognising it as one of the most significant new American plays of its year.

Gunderson’s play dramatizes the real-life events surrounding the creation of Shakespeare’s First Folio, published in 1623—seven years after Shakespeare’s death. Although Shakespeare himself never appears on stage, the story centres on the actors, friends, and family members who fought to preserve his work for future generations.

While the subject matter might sound dry on paper, this production contains many moments of levity. None more so than the opening soliloquy delivered by Finnian Nacey, who delighted in expressing himself with far less solemnity than the occasion supposedly demanded.

We are then introduced to John Heminges (Paul Kay), Henry Condell (Ian Mortensen), and Richard Burbage (Allan Burne), members of the King’s Men—the original troupe who performed Shakespeare’s plays—along with John’s daughter Alice, played by Sylvia McKenna.

Overall, the performances were very good, though there was some unevenness across the cast. Allan Burne was a standout throughout, offering an excellent performance marked by confident delivery and wonderful physicality. Every role he played was notable, and the production noticeably lifted whenever he was on stage.

Paul Kay and Ian Mortensen carried the heaviest load, being on stage for much of the play. Kay’s portrayal of Heminges took a little time to settle, but once it did, he delivered a solid and dependable performance. Mortensen was similarly convincing as Condell, grounding the character with sincerity.

Other performers of note included Sylvia McKenna, Stanford Reynolds, Kevin Hastings, and Jonathon Ensor, all of whom made valuable contributions to the ensemble.

One particularly effective moment of direction from Janet Noble was one of the final scenes, where pages were lifted from a line to form the book itself. This was both clever and visually striking, and it underscored the importance of the moment without resorting to sentimentality.

A couple of audience members I spoke with mentioned difficulty hearing all of the dialogue. I was seated in the front row and heard everything clearly, but even in a relatively small space like the Gryphon, projection remains crucial.

The set was relatively simple but included several thoughtful and effective elements. It served its purpose well overall, though some of the scene transitions could have been sharper.

Costuming was, as is often the case with Meredith Dooley at the helm, a highlight. The dress she wore towards the end of the play was particularly striking.

In summary, this is the story of two relatively unknown men who, driven by their passion for their friend William Shakespeare’s work, ensured its survival for the next four centuries.