Canterbury Tales

‘Canterbury Tales’ by Geoffrey Chacer has been adapted – very loosely – by Stephen Quinn. This set of six short tales are presented by Bare Naked and Class Act, in a two hour show each evening at 8.00 pm in the Rechabites Hall, Northbridge. This show will then tour the coastal towns in the South West from the 11^th until the 23^rd June.

Many students will have studied Chaucer at school or university, struggling through the quaint ‘Olde Worlde’ 14^th century Middle English. It was hard, unsatisfying schoolwork.

Dozens of pilgrims were travelling from Southwark in London, to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. To ease the boredom, it was decided that in order to cheer up their fellow travellers on a pilgrimage, each tradesmen should tell a tale which had to have a moral or message for better living. Considering that it was a religious journey, most of the tales were downright bawdy. Here, Class Act has captured the full fun and brilliance of the Chaucer writings.

Now, we have six of the series, presented in very different situations and periods. From King Arthur, ‘The good, the bad and the ugly’, to the ‘Carry on’ saucy film style, through the silent movie era, to ‘Star Trek‘ as you have never seen it before.

The team were Ian Bolgia, James Davies, Olivia Hogan, Dan Luxton, Angelique Malcolm, David Meadows and their apprentice, Stephen Lee. Karla Nessfield and Amber Smith as SMs.

This show, which has already been seen by thousands, returns to Perth before touring the provinces and western towns. Most of the team have been nominated for acting awards and it their true acting skills that take these mini productions from the passé Benny Hill acts, to punchy, professionally delivered humour. The script was hilarious, with a multitude of double-entendres, puns and ad libs. The lighting (Aaron Stirk) and costumes (Meredith Ford) were of the high quality expected for a serious production. The actors knew how to work their audience, and as a result everyone left the show with a beaming smile.
If you like Buster Keaton and fancy an easy ‘chewing gum for the mind’ night away from all your troubles then this can be recommended. A fast moving show, filled with energy.
Plenty of belly laughs.