Shakespeare goes jazz at the Union Chapel

The musical, which has been six years in the offing, began as eight Shakespeare songs in 2008. Stroman was commissioned to write them by Robert Cecil, the earl of Salisbury, to mark the 450th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth I.

Now, a two and a half hour version of the play will feature an extended suite of 13 songs, interpreted by a jazz band featuring Tim Wells, bass, Paul Clarvis, drums and percussion, Pete Hurt, saxophones and woodwinds, Stuart Hall, guitar and Sonia Slany and Nick Cooper on violin and cello. A professional cast of five plus a 100-strong chorus of adults and children from Highbury Opera Theatre make up the ensemble.

Stroman (pictured below) commented on the work: “The original idea was to set these songs in a way which was modern, attractive and jazzy that still had a bit of the ‘sound world’ of Shakespeare’s own time... My starting point was to study William Byrd and imagine if I improvised on [his] songs, what would I come up with?”

The end result is modal jazz which draws upon the modal music of the 15th and 16th centuries, where much of the momentum is derived from variations between the major and minor scale rather than changes of key. The songs include a poignant setting of ‘All the World’s a Stage’, ‘It was a Lover and his Lass’, from the original play, and also ‘Crabbed Age and Youth’, originally from the The Passionate Pilgrim.

“The songs have two to three levels – there’s the rhyme, what you’re actually speaking about, and then there’s the subtext. You can say the words in one way but set the words in another i.e. with harmony and rhythm. That’s what has been so attractive for me – trying to dig inside these poems and find out what the subtext really was” Stroman added.

Stroman is a multi-faceted musician: atrombonist and singer, working with artists such as Dizzy Gillespie; the director of the London Jazz Orchestra; and previously head of jazz at the Guildhall. He has also had a long association with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and has previous form setting Shakespeare’s poetry, having written arrangements of Shakespeare songs for Cleo Laine.

Stroman adds: “People can expect a clever story, a comedy with a life-enhancing, positive message, and uplifting, joyous, rich music – and some great jazz playing along the way.”

The play is directed by Bernie Moran and stars Grace Andrews (pictured top) as Rosalind, Robin Bailey as Orlando, Donna Canale as Celia, Robert Gildon as Touchstone and Jacques Verzier as Jaques.

Three performances will take place at Union Chapel on 13-14 June as part of the Shakespeare 450 celebrations marking the 450th year of The Bard’s birth.

– Hannah Crown

For more info go to unionchapel.org.uk