Sweet William (or Born to be Bard) at The Piano in Christchurch 

 

REVIEW: William Shakespeare wrote a rather famous array of tragedies, comedies, and histories. He left the genre of musical biopic, however, to New Zealand writer and composer Neill Pickard.

 

Hence we are party to Sweet William or Born to be Bard – a play on the life, strife, and success of the world’s most famous scribe. Though it’s been performed in and around Christchurch for nearly 50 years, this iteration from Enchanting Productions is the first of its kind. It’s multi-generational.

 

Even that undersells it. We’ve got a cast of 44 here. Some singing, some dancing, all acting their hearts out. There are enough characters to populate a small Elizabethan village. At times they practically do. Shakespeare described poetic inspiration as a “fine frenzy”. That would pretty much suffice as a two-word review of this production. It feels rather like a community passing Shakespeare between generations.

 

The show spans almost as many musical genres. We’ve got soft jazz transitions, power ballads, swinging blues, and poignant odes. Yet it never feels like a mishmash of styles competing for attention. Stand-out ensemble numbers include a sprightly song about spring and an equally lively homage to Francis Drake in the Queen’s court.

 

To sing or not to sing? That is clearly not the question.

 

Through all the musical fun, the arc of the Bard's life shines through. We see the creative yearnings of youth, fledgling success in London, and the plight of the “bubonic blues”, with plenty of deeply human conundrums along the way. The man who gave us so many memorable characters becomes one himself.

 

Nic Kyle does the part full justice, bringing verve and vitality to Shakespeare’s every gesture and eccentricity. The mad dashes are just as delightful as the alliterative ruminations.

 

Pickard’s ability to mimic – and at times mock – Shakespeare’s style is excellent. Take the line “where there's a Will, a girl Hath-a-way”. Groan-worthy? Absolutely. But rather good fun nonetheless.

 

No-one turns in a dud performance. Juliet Reynolds-Midgley is wonderful as Queen Elizabeth I, calling to arms the arts. Shakespeare’s young companions are boisterous and entertaining. And no-one steals scenes quite like James R Howey as the impossibly flamboyant Earl of Southampton.

 

A play that flicks between time lines, cities, interiors, and characters with such regularity is prone to the odd clunky transition and sound glitch. There are a few of both here. But credit to director and producer Louise Glossop for wrangling this enormous company into something so full of life.

 

This early preview of Sweet William was a sure sign of the fun to come. The curtain officially goes up on Friday, with several performances running through Sunday. So if a little Shakespearean song and dance sounds like your cup of tea, there’s still time to get yourself along. Make haste. The game’s afoot!

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Photo and review by Samuel Fletcher, October 14, 2026