The Food of Love Devised and performed by Nigel Hess

The Food of Love, devised and performed by celebrated composer Nigel Hess, is a dazzling celebration of William Shakespeare in song and speech. Join Nigel at the piano, the legendary vocalist Michael Dore, and rising star Eleanor Grant as they bring to life a potpourri of memorable reviews, backstage anecdotes, and the Bard’s most beloved lines. Star actors Lesley Nicol (Downton Abbey) and Richard Teverson (The Crown) illuminate the stage with their warm, witty delivery, while the music of Craig Armstrong (Romeo & Juliet), William Walton, Michael Kamen, Cole Porter, and Stephen Warbeck (Shakespeare in Love) fill the hall with soaring, iconic melodies. Nigel’s own original, playful songs—written for the Royal Shakespeare Company—interweave with classic pieces, offering a fresh, luminous take on the Shakespeare canon. The program unfolds in two parts. Part One begins with the gentle refrain of “The Wind and the Rain” from *Twelfth Night*, moves through “The Christening” from *Henry VIII* and “With Love for Someone Dear” from *Henry VIII/G‑Globe*, and continues with the introspective “Sigh No More, Ladies” from *Much Ado About Nothing*, “Sonnet XVII” and “Do but behold the tears that swell in me” from *Love’s Labour’s Lost*, to the playful “Sigh No More, Ladies” in RSC’s 2014 staging. Highlights include “It was a Lover and His Lass” from *As You Like It*, “Abbess Emilia” from *The Comedy of Errors*, “My Love is Fair” from *The Merry Wives of Windsor*, “The Balcony Scene” from *Romeo + Juliet* (Craig Armstrong), and the lyrical “Under the Greenwood Tree” from *As You Like It* (William Walton). The evening culminates with the buoyant “Ding Dong Bell” from *The Merry Wives of Windsor* and the charming “When Daisies Pied” from *Love’s Labour’s Lost*. Part Two continues the journey with spirited pieces such as “Hey Robin, Jolly Robin” from *Twelfth Night*, “Willow Song” from *Othello*, “Sonnet XVIII” (Michael Kamen), the jazz-inflected “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” (Cole Porter), and “O Mistress Mine” from *Twelfth Night*. The finale, a tribute to the film *Shakespeare in Love* (Stephen Warbeck) and a reprise of “The Wind and the Rain,” brings the program full circle. Premiering over 20 years ago at Cadogan Hall, this long‑overdue return brings Shakespeare to life with unforgettable music, unforgettable words, and unforgettable performance. Don't miss the chance to experience a night that will linger in your heart long after the final chord fades.