EastEnders star Ross Kemp has been roasted by reviewers for his foray into Shakespearean drama.

Certainly the opening scenes at the Theatre Royal are not promising.

When Kemp and his co-star Nichola McAuliffe come on stage, my initial and ungallant reaction is that they are both a little mature for parts which demand a youthful vitality.

But with the same self-confidence he uses to brush aside the critics, Kemp as Petruchio sets about his task of taming Kate and it works.

McAuliffe is more mouse than shrew but she can convey more meaning in a single glance than Kemp can in an evening and she invests the demanding role with some subtlety and humour.

A strong supporting cast includes Geoffrey Freshwater as the Shrew's put-upon father plus Nicholas Boulton and Robert Demeger.

These two wring plenty of laughs out of their cavorting efforts to win the hand of the lovely Bianca (Olivia Darnley).

By midway through the second half, Kemp's swagger seems to fit the role and he delivers Shakespeare straight so that we can concentrate on the sonorous language.

He wins over the audience as steadily as he gains the Shrew's affections so that by the end, the applause shows this part of Brighton has become Kemp Town.

For tickets, call 01273 328488.