Written in 1603, as Shakespeare worked on ‘Measure for Measure’, ‘The Malcontent’ sees a leader smuggle himself into the society he rules.
Predictably enough, when Duke Altofront (Adam Howden) disguises himself as the misanthropic Malevole, he’s not happy with what he sees. Once-trusted peers set about a-killing and a-cuckolding, sycophants swap sides and lusty singletons get down and dirty. Rae McKen’s flirtatious production makes sure we know we’re implicated in all this vanity, lust and power-hungry usurpation, throwing a steady stream of winks and raunchy asides our way.
It’s a contemporary twist on Elizabethan court entertainment. However, the spirited performances reduce the play to a parade of archetypes: some even enter to their own signature tune. Gershwyn Eustache makes a commanding villain and there’s droll support from Richard Kiess and Matthew Gibbs as two fey dandies. But Penelope Watson’s twisted period costumes come close to stealing the show.