'The Canterbury Tales' Review (GSC)

The Canterbury Tales Review (GSC)

A fun-filled, playful evening for everyone

Address: The Astolat Pavilion, Stoke Park, Guildford. Get directions.

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Ever sat in a classroom feeling bored to tears by Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales? The multi-talented GSC has created a sparkling, hilarious antidote to memories of dry lessons: an evening of brilliant entertainment.

Here in song, dance, puppetry and comic acting, they tell seven of Chaucer’s pilgrims’ stories of honour rewarded and greed and vanity punished, while in the audience, we’re constantly involved, consulted for our votes, and even contribute our own voices to the organised mayhem on the stage. Little or no ‘fourth wall’ here.

The script is based on their 2014 show, which we saw in St Mary’s Church, but it has been updated for the open-air setting of the Astolat Pavilion and feels, if anything, more like a mediaeval fairground show, despite including twenty-first-century electronic audio media.

The telling of ‘The Miller’s Tale’, starring Rosalind Blessed, had us in fits of laughter, not only at Ms Blessed’s wonderfully comic Miller but by the witty use of sound effects. 

One of my favourite tales was the company’s musical version of ‘The Nun’s Priest’s Tale’ with Matt Pinches narrating as a duck who looked very much like Rod Hull’s Emu, with Chanticleer the rooster, his seven wives and a sly fox, all played by huge puppets steered and voiced by Rosalind Blessed, Will Arundell, Nikita Johal and Sarah Gobran.

The hen backing group to the songs sung by Will and Rosalind was a great invention! 

Will Arundell’s lovely singing voice, musical skills and flair for comic timing are great assets in his various roles, whether as a knight, a scoundrel or a rooster.

Nikita Johal proved herself very versatile again — from sinuous, sexy princess to little old woman, magician or rapacious fox, she’s full of delightful energy.

Rosalind Blessed is a constant source of fun and humour, and Matt Pinches, the only company member in the original 2014 show, has a fund of invention and comedy.

And Sarah Gobran in red catsuit is the fifth — but not the least —star of the show — we’re so used to seeing her in breeches roles, we absolutely loved her satirical portrayal of the worldly, patronising Wife of Bath!

Brought up to date and yet true to the spirit of mediaeval storytelling, this ‘Canterbury Tales’ is a masterpiece of comedy and theatrical invention. Even if you’ve never studied Chaucer, and even if you’re a Chaucer scholar, and whatever your age, you will love this show.