A Rose by Any Other Name

Rosemary Loghlin performs A Rose by any Other Name

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There is a certain noble discomfort in seeing someone reach for greatness and fall short; such is the mixed experience of A Rose By Any Other Name. Rosemary Loughlin’s recent performance offers moments of promise interwoven with choices that ultimately make the show feel more like a lecture than a fully realised dramatic immersion.

The concept, presenting Shakespearean monologues through a connective framing device, has merit. But, unfortunately, much of the performance never quite moves beyond the level of presentation. There is a recurring sameness in tone, gesture, and pacing—whether Loughlin is reciting Macbeth, Twelfth Night, or Hamlet, the transitions from one piece to the next are often indistinct. The monologues lack the shifts in emotional texture that make Shakespeare’s work feel alive: rage, longing, despair, joy, levity. Those peaks and valleys are only faintly hinted at, rarely allowed to break out. As a result, the performance sometimes feels like a well-taught English lesson rather than a theatre piece.

Technically, the production is clean. The staging, lighting, and minimal set design ensure that nothing distracts from the text and that is perhaps both a strength and a weakness. With so few visual or physical changes, the burden lies entirely on Loughlin to create drama via voice and body alone.

In conclusion, while this production doesn’t quite succeed as theatre in its fullest sense, it achieves something meaningful: a careful, earnest homage to Shakespeare’s monologues. It may not stir the heart in every moment, but for lovers of Shakespeare’s wording and style, there is a good deal to appreciate. With more variation in emotional tone, greater physicality, or more dramatic contrast, Loughlin could have transformed this presentation into something far more memorable. Nonetheless—it is a commendable effort, if ultimately restrained.