RSC Two Gentleman of Verona review - Love, laughs and a Lurcher make for a summer night's scream

An absolute blast, this. The RSC has sharpened Shakespeare's early romantic comedy, suffused it with (literally) banging music and given it a whole load of day-glo punch. It's aimed quite explicitly at younger audiences, but it leaves you with more than just a Haribo tang; there are richer flavours for the maturer palates.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona is not performed often. It is one of Shakespeare’s early plays of , but it serves as a kind of template for what was to come. There is Italy, a love triangle, disguises, cross-dressing, mistaken identities, wild and mysterious lands beyond the city; Shakespeare would do all of these better later, but there is a charm in seeing such ideas when they were fresh in his mind. This production races along, too: it's all over in 90 minutes, with no interval, which brings an enjoyable sense of mayhem to proceedings. The is also a dog, who, naturally, steals the show.

The two ‘gentlemen’ in question are young Valentine and Proteus, best friends who are parting ways. Valentine is heading to Milan to get a taste of the wider world; Proteus stays home, writing love letters to the object of his affections, Julia, and the two fall in love. But Proteus’s mother then sends him to Milan, where he reunites with Valentine and the pair become besotted with another woman, Sylvia. Julia pursues Proteus, disguising herself as a man; Valentine becomes the leader of a gang of outlaws in a forest. It’s all enjoyably madcap, but there is real heart and tenderness here too, longing and betrayal depicted unsparingly. Proteus is finally confronted about his actions in a reckoning that bravely seeks no clear resolution.

The cast comprises a remarkably polished group of actor-musicians. The production is staged in the round, with little set to speak of, so the music provides much of the scenery. John Patrick Elliott has composed a wonderfully varied score, by turns rocking, rhythmical and romantic; the cast play it with verve and sensitivity, blowing saxes, squeezing accordions, pumping basses, bowing violins. It’s a glorious sight as much as it is a fabulous sound. It’s something of an ensemble piece, with actors playing various roles, but there are some outstanding performances, notably from Aisha Goodman as the strong and wronged Julia, Siân Stephens in radiant form as Sylvia and Jonny Khan as a soulful Valentine. And Stu McLoughlin as the comedic manservant Launce must be doing something very right: he is somehow not completely upstaged by his canine companion Crab, played by Lossi, a dignified Lurcher with scraggly charm and an uncanny nose for comedy.

Not everything succeeds. The production is billed as “the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for families”, with thoughtfully timed performances at 1.30pm and 5pm, but some of the younger audience members looked bored or embarrassed by the lovey-dovey stuff. And it’s depressing to find the RSC returning to its old habit of using regional accents as lazy comic shorthand; the company’s commitment to diversity only goes so far, it seems.

Overall, though, this is fun and frolicsome stuff with plenty of edge and bite. It doesn’t talk down to its audience and there is something here for all ages. A vibrant shot of Shakespeare, and home in time for tea.

Until August 31. Visit rsc.org.uk or call 01789 331111 to book.