NELL GWYNNE: A DRAMATICK ESSAYE ON ACTING AND PROSTITUTION

Beautiful performance by a brilliant and endearing actress as she lifts her skirts and invites us to take a peak at the formidable Nell Gwynne. Bella Merlin shines as Nell, and makes her come to life in all her facets. Beautifully staged and deliciously played. Bella is hugely accomplished and delights in the material that she WROTE. A jam-packed hour of talent, heart, skill and FUN! If you think you know about Charles II do yourself a favor and go witness Nell's perspective on this incredible period in English history!... full review

A delight! Bella Martin brings commitment and joy to Nell Gwynne. This bawdy wench takes us from the bedroom to the stage and finally to her ultimate dreams. The staging was tight, the costumes perfect. One of my favorites so far.... full review

Actress, Bella Merlin certainly enjoys herself portraying Nell Gwynne (1650 – 1687), one of history’s most engaging tarts. Fortunately, the audience is swept up in Merlin’s bravado performance from the moment she steps out on stage, rattling merrily on about her life’s journey that took her from poor country girl, to star of the London stage, and finally to the bed of England’s King. The historical period known as the “Restoration” in reference to the return of the monarchy in the person of King Charles II to England after the death of Oliver Cromwell was a fascinating time. Merlin sings some bawdy ditties of the period, and chews a little scenery when talking about the roles Gwynne played, and touches on the devastating plague of 1665 an... full review

Sex! Theater! History! Bella Merlin (Actor/Writer) does a wonderful job of entertaining as "pretty, witty Nell," a mostly forgotten (or never known) female star of the English stage and mistress (and jester!) of the king a century after Shakespeare, when women were finally allowed by law to perform on stage. What a fascinating character! Can a movie version be far behind? Award-winning actor Miles Anderson directs for maximum audience pleasure, and the costumes by Jason Estala & design by Allison-Marie Molnaa excellently enhance the experience. ... full review

Bella Merlin just broke the theatre. A vivid, energizing, vital romp through an oft-forgotten corner of stage history. A refreshing take on the biographical solo play about a theatre artist (which seems to be a genre in itself), Bella brings Nell to life and I would have spent another 45 minutes with her just to hear more of her stories. The play and performance are a gift to the Fringe and should most definitely be seen.... full review

Bravo! Thoroughly enjoyed being enchanted back in time to visit with Nell & be entertained by her. Beautifully penned & well acted, this is indeed a journey I would go on with her over & over again. YAY! :) ... full review

Enchanting. Lovely. Don't miss it. ... full review

This is a lot of show for one woman and 45 minutes. Ms Merlin sings, dances, plays the lute (and several characters) as she tells the story of England's first celebrity actress. What could be a dry history lesson is so beautifully executed that it ends up being a celebration of theatre itself. Obviously meticulously researched and crafted, the play illuminates a time and place perfectly. The performance is generous and joyful. ... full review

A tour de force for Bella Merlin. The excellent singing, acting, writing, and multiple personalities she displayed (did I say acting?), were a delight. The production values were very high. If you like intelligent, well-written, shows about strong women, don't miss this piece. The only complaint? We felt that the play could be expanded even further, to a full-length production. We wanted to spend even more time exploring the various characters (the King, mistresses, theatre critic). Great work! ... full review

As Polonius might put it, a great example of " tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited" -- actually, just a wonderful, lively, inventive performance-- we had a great time!... full review