Review – THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Thursday, September 4, 2014.

CARTONS of ice cream were doled out to a handful of the audience lucky enough to be invited on stage prior to this virtually perfect revival of one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays.

Antonio’s product, and the performance, went down a treat and it would be fair to say that together they will take some licking...

Its modern-day Italy and a street cafe in the heart of Verona through which the ice cream carriers have to pick their way past diners – who are obviously having a good time - and back to their seats.

This enjoyably amusing pre-amble into the play sets the mood perfectly for a relatively simple tale of love-times-two which duly has its waters muddied by black thoughts and deeds before the remedy is discovered.

The majority of the audience may have missed out on the premature sweet treat but no one was short changed by the main course.

Hardly ever revived, which is a touch sad, Two Gents had been gathering dust since its last production on the main stage at Stratford some 45 years ago. Now director Simon Godwin has done a great job in blowing the cobwebs away and though it may not have the edge or the polish of the Bard’s more detailed later work, with their flavoursome character insights, there is still plenty to enjoy in this comedy.

Many of the cast are in their RSC debut season and what a dazzling bow they made with a string of fine performances. Among them were Pearl Chanda as the betrayed Julia, Mark Arends as the plotting Proteus who seriously lets down his lover and his best friend, and the other ‘loving’ couple Michael Marcus’ Valentine and lithe limbed Sarah Macrae’s striking Silvia.

Julia provides the first spot of cross-dressing in Shakespeare’s writing as our heroine dons a natty Milanese-made suit and she wears it well before the truth is revealed for reconciliation.

Although it has its dark side Two Gents is also supposed to be fun and this emanates delightfully from Roger Morlidge as Launce, the sorrowful servant to Proteus, and particularly so with his pet pooch Crab in tow.

It’s one of the play’s famous moments and Mossup, a lovely lurcher dog, obviously has that knack of stealing a scene or two, as does Leigh Quinn who played the dual roles of Lucetta, a mirthful and mischief-making maid, and an outlaw in the forest.

How come Glasgow let this little gem escape their opening ceremony?

There’s an eye-catching performance too from Nicholas Gerard-Martin, as the would-be suitor but bit of a twit Turio. Hugely funny and his rendition of ‘Who is Silvia?’ was hilarious over-the-top enjoyment.

The sets are more functional than extravagant but serve their purpose exceptionally well in ensuring the mind’s eye believes it is seeing more than there actually is as the action switches from a square in Verona, to a nightclub, the Duke of Milan’s court and then deep into the forest. This is largely achieved not only through minimal props but also the matching of excellent music and movement.

It’s a pity in one respect that this vibrant offering lasts only 2hrs 25mins as well as it getting only this short run at Stratford before heading for the north-east for another brief period in Newcastle.

You’re urged to catch it live while its local but if that’s not on there is the opportunity to view it on the big screen later this year when it is broadcast live to cinemas around the country on September 3.