In a film festival filled with examinations of personal growth, social struggles and universal tragedies, taking the opportunity to laugh out loud during the UK’s first public screening of BILL was something to treasure.

Directed by Richard Bracewell (whose previous film CUCKOO had its world première at the 2009 Cambridge Film Festival) and developed by the team behind the hit TV comedy Horrible Histories, BILL is a compelling comedy gem, a film meant for the whole family that gives a comic twist to William Shakespeare’s early life and the beginning of his career as a playwright.

BILL follows Shakespeare (Mathew Baynton) making the difficult decision to follow his dreams and become famous. Abandoning his family, he moves to London with the intention of becoming a celebrated writer, only to find himself in the middle of a treasonous campaign against Queen Elizabeth (Helen McCrory) concocted by King Philip II of Spain (Ben Willbond).

BILL recalls vintage Mel Brooks with its spontaneous glances toward the camera and fast-paced comic timing.

BILL’s single aim is to elicit as many laughs as possible. It recalls vintage Mel Brooks with its spontaneous glances toward the camera and fast-paced comic timing. Each joke is delivered naturally and, though there is seemingly no space for improvisation, the cast were still able to give their input. The result is a breathtaking range of jokes, stretching from the childish to the clever. (There’s even room to squeeze in a reference to STAR WARS, as absurd as that may sound.)

The ensemble cast has been working together since Horrible Histories and their chemistry is certainly palpable; each of the seven main actors gets to play multiple characters throughout the movie. Fans of the show will feel instantly at home, but the script is wise enough to avoid duplicating the short sketch format. If the intention was to convert the TV show’s rapid-fire gagfest into a fully-fledged film, then the great news for fans is that they have succeeded brilliantly.

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