One of the very first things King Charles II did when he returned from exile in 1660 was to reopen the theatres. Following his father’s execution, they had been officially closed by the Puritans since 1642.
Actresses appeared on the British stage for the first time and amongst them was orange-selling Nell Gwynn, famed for her promiscuity, profanity and bawdy humour. Illiterate, she learned each part by repetition. Nell excelled in comedy and especially in “breeches” roles, which allowed her to show off her legs. Samuel Pepys was a great fan. She became King Charles’s mistress and bore him two sons.
There are many anecdotes and hearsays about Nell; only most of them are apocryphal. So Jessica Swale in her play is free to do what she wants and embellish the historical facts. The result is a jolly romp, with bawdy songs and a caricature of Restoration acting, which is absolutely perfect for Shakespeare’s Globe audiences.
Christopher Luscombe’s production fields a good cast. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is a vivacious Nell. David Strucker as Charles II and Jay Taylor as Charles Hart have style and wit and are effortlessly in period. Amanda Lawrence is a hoot as Nell’s dresser, confidante and reluctant actress.