@ Assembly Checkpoint, Edinburgh, until Sun 30 Aug 2015 @15:10

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is busy at the Fringe this year, presenting Under the Ground, the well-reviewed Urinetown, and the provocatively-titled Willy’s Bitches. With new songs by Shannon Thurston, Willy’s Bitches highlights some of Shakespeare’s female characters, mixing the Bard’s original lines with the new material to intoxicating effect.

Opening with Jenny Douglas as Julia, switching wildly between wistful and frenzied as she pines for Proteus, it’s easy to be bewitched by the skill with which the contemporary has been incorporated into the classic. Highlights are Brigid Shine’s fragile Ophelia; Hannah Kerbes and Samantha Taylor Burns drinking up a storm as Beatrice and Kate; and a harrowing Lauren Mayer as the maimed and mutilated Lavinia.

Segues between scenes are artfully done, with no sense of abruptness or jarring, despite the switch in tones. The musical accompaniment is flawless (and the musicians often dragged into the proceedings by the actors). One of the joys of the show is trying to identify the characters and the plays referred to, as there is no introduction. Of course, it can be argued that this is big flaw of the show as well, as a fairly high-level knowledge of the great man’s work is assumed. Willy’s Bitches is not a show that is going to make Shakespeare more accessible to new converts, which is a shame as the musical numbers could be a great way of easing a new audience in.

That said, for those who are more au fait with his work and can spot a scene from The Two Gentlemen of Verona at fifty paces, there is much enjoyment to be had, especially if one is a fan of more modern adaptations. Indeed, when the show ends rather abruptly, there is an obvious checking of watches by the audience. The time certainly flew past and the crowd leaves wanting more, but a mere forty minutes has elapsed since the lights were dimmed. This feels like a missed opportunity. Some more characters and perhaps even a big musical number to finish, incorporating all the characters, would be very welcome.