Review: ARTHUR/MERLIN, Actors' Church

Set in the beautiful surrounds of the Actors' Church just metres from the bustling Covent Garden, Arthur/Merlin delivers an intriguing reimagining of the classic Arthurian legend from the renowned Iris Theatre.

Closing their Summer Festival, Arthur/Merlin is directed by the company's artistic director Paul-Ryan Carberry and adapted by Reuben Johnson, who looks to inject fresh perspective and ideas into the story of King Arthur and his loyal adviser Merlin.

The cast infuse their performance with boundless energy and charm, able to gloss over the occasional plot hole and clunky line of dialogue through sheer charisma. The incorporation of spoken-word poetry and adjusting the tale to focus on a teenage Arthur with no knowledge of his profound destiny, while mixing and matching various parts of Arthurian legend, helps differentiate this particular reiteration.

Michael Elcock is particularly engaging as a young and naïve Arthur, and has excellent chemistry with Kate Donnachie's conflicted and earnest Merlin as the two embark upon the quest that forms the main thrust of the show.

Completing the four-person cast, Lloyd Gorman and Gina Jamieson slip effortlessly in and out of a series of characters, with the former also providing much of the musical accompaniment on acoustic guitar. Indeed, these added features work well and it certainly feels like there is scope to add more musicality at times.

What truly sets it apart from the countless retellings of this classic tale is its surroundings. The leafy, serene Actors' Church adds to the mysticism and otherworldliness of the show. The production team use this unique location to their advantage, incorporating a tree stump as the centrepiece of the stage and allowing all the elements to work together effectively.

Of course, the open-air setting does leave it vulnerable to the intermittent rain and showers that afflicted last night's performance, but it didn't seem to dampen either actors nor audience as the play reached its crescendo. And, in the age of ongoing restrictions, it may increasingly become the norm for many theatre companies to ensure the show goes on.

Arthur/Merlin at the Actors' Church until 22 August.

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