What I liked
The simplicity works so very well for this show. A simple stage, an extraordinary actor and a perfectly written script. Just simply marvelous in every way.
Also, more Fringe creators should take a cue from Smith, who started this production AT THIS FRINGE as a two person show, realized it would work better as a one person version and changed the show DURING ITS RUN. Talk about taking the real spirit of Fringe and running with it. He took a risk. That is ****ing admirable.
What I didn't like
Nothing.
My overall impression
There is something literally overwhelming about seeing iambic pentameter created anew, out of whole cloth. It’s like having a momentary glimpse back into what Shakespeare’s time might have been like. And Ryan J-W Smith has once again created a masterpiece of such a show, this time about Nell Gwynne. Having seen the one-woman version of this show (yes, there were TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS this Fringe!), I was blown away by the actor’s talent and Smith’s design. Pretty Witty Nell is a knockout of a performance of a knockout of a play.
