Born with Teeth

Wyndhams' Theatre

Playing until 1st November 2025

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Photo credit: Johan Persson

In this thrilling 90-minute play, Born With Teeth explores the mischievous and magnetic relationship between Christopher (Kit) Marlowe (Ncuti Gatwa) and William (Will) Shakespeare (Edward Bluemel).

With a bold mix of classicism and experimentation, the scenography ranges from a screen projecting stroboscopic images, lights, and sounds to a more refined décor—wooden furniture and over a hundred soft lights evoke the backroom of a pub in Elizabethan England. The set also feels like a space of scrutiny—perhaps even surveillance—hinting at the power dynamics at play. Costumes echo the period (loose shirts, wide open at the chest; tight leather trousers), but the language is more modern. From the outset, it's clear: this won’t be a traditional Shakespearean drama.

The play unfolds in three compact acts, each marking a year—1591, 1592, 1593—and opens with Will and Kit attempting to collaborate on Henry VI. The two characters command the stage in an intense, eloquent, and dynamic performance.

At the time, Kit Marlowe was the most celebrated playwright in England: the darling of the Elizabethan theatre, a reputed spy for the Crown, and Gatwa certainly possesses the swagger to come with this character. Will Shakespeare, by contrast, was a rising talent—ambitious but unproven.

Gatwa’s Marlowe—arrogant, provocative, and charismatic, challenges Bluemel’s Shakespeare’s talent, background, and ambitions in a gripping verbal duel. The dialogue is razor-sharp, at times outrageous, often funny, and peppered with clever nods to their respective works.

While the first act feels dominated by Kit, the balance begins to shift after the success of Henry VI. Shakespeare gains confidence, and the cat-and-mouse dynamic becomes more evenly matched. Act II turns their duel into something more intimate and ambiguous—flirtation, seduction, suspicion. The tension is electric, blurring the roles of cat and mouse, challenging the trust between the two characters.

The third act is shorter and ends rather abruptly in a clear attempt at a tearjerker. While it’s arguably the weakest part, it doesn’t diminish the strength of what came before. Gatwa brings an undeniable stage presence—his Marlowe is larger-than-life, magnetic, and unlikable in the most compelling way. Bluemel, by contrast, plays Shakespeare with subtlety and precision. Together, they make a captivating pair, fully inhabiting their roles.

While reimagining the relationship between two of Britain’s literary icons as a queer, charged showdown may not be to everyone’s taste, it’s done with intelligence and respect. This isn’t historical revisionism for shock value—it’s a sharp, darkly funny, and surprisingly moving black comedy. Yes, it’s provocative, even crude at times—but always astute.

Creatives

Writer: Liz Duffy Adams

Director: Daniel Evans

Set and Costume Design: Joanna Scotcher

Lighting Design: Neil Austin

Sound Design: George Dennis

Video Design: Andrzej Goulding

Movement Director: Ira Mandela Siobhan

Executive Producer for Playful Productions: Jack lea

Executive Producer for RSC: Despina Tsatsas