THEATRE: THE ALCHEMIST

John Bell has turned to one of Shakespeare’s contemporaries for his latest production, The Alchemist. Ben Jonson was hugely popular as well as hugely controversial in his heyday; Shakespeare himself learnt his craft as an actor in Jonson’s theatre. Schemes, deceit, sexual innuendo, chaos, comedy and irony abound.

In an attempt to flee the plague, a Londoner leaves his house in the hands of his housekeeper, Face. Face and his two friends – Subtle, an alchemist, and Dol Common, a prostitute – take advantage of the situation and turn the house into a base of operations for exploiting fools.

Without attempting to reinvent the wheel, Bell brings this world to light and invests it with new shades of meaning. The play opens to the sounds of The Clash, setting the stage for what is yet to come. This play relies heavily on costuming and disguise, and the creative design choices are all expressive and relevant. Seeing an Amy Winehouse-esque whore seduced by an pretentious Elizabethan knight is a highlight. In short, The Alchemist is a hilarious Faulty Towers-style farce.

Until 18 April. Sydney Opera House. $30-$60, 9250 7777 or www.sydneyoperahouse.com