If you like Shakespeare, you should find Dundas Little Theatre’s production of Much Ado About Nothing a delightful little romp. Though it runs three hours (with intermission), it is fast-paced, fun and features some fine actors.
Much Ado About Nothing is one of the bard's fairly early romantic comedies, with some of the more common complications. Claudio loves Hero, but needs Don Pedro to woo her on his behalf. Others mistake Don Pedro’s intentions. Meanwhile, witty young Benedick trades barbs with the sharp-tongued Beatrice - everyone else thinks that their common wit makes them a perfect match, so they work to trick Benedick to think Beatrice loves him, and Beatrice into thinking Benedick
loves her.
However, there is an element of jealousy around who want to spoil happiness when they see it. There is the potential for tragedy here, such as we see in Othello and Romeo and Juliet. Fortunately, we are destined to observe a happier end for the lovers of Much Ado.
The set for the action seemed rather plain though functional to start: a large rectangular stage with varied sized wooden risers and blocks, featuring a water cooler in the very centre of the stage. The setting is not the village of Messina, but Messina Inc., a company where, like the proverbial modern convention, people gather around the water cooler to gab.
As the action progresses, the blocks are effectively used to transform the look of the set, sometimes to allow characters to hide to overhear conversations – another favourite Shakespearean ploy – but with good comic intent, not the evil plotting of Claudius and the tragic eavesdropping of Polonius in Hamlet.
Back to the '80s?
The promo material for this production, including the programme and a large electronic notice board which resembles an oversized cell phone, suggests a 1980s theme. Like characters from Desperately Seeking Susan, actors walk about in pleather parachute pants and coloured bolero jackets, some with bad hair. However, the action seems to take place in a more modern era, or even sometime in the near future when there's a nostalgia for all things '80s (including fashion and music).
Too far-fetched? At first glance, I would have agreed, but it all works, and really well!
The characters' clothing is colour-coded to indicate what group each individual belongs to – pink and purple, or blue, or black and yellow, or orange. It's a clever device that assists the audience’s understanding of the multifarious goings-on. Credit must be given to Jane Snider, Elaine Sharp and company for the many
costumes they created. And artistic Director Chris Farias no doubt is due kudos for the clever design of the entire play.
There are several cute '80s corporate replacement words for the original Shakespearean language. The “orchard” is the “office,” and the “arbour” is the “water cooler,” words that re- awaken the audience to the playful use of the more modern setting. The water cooler, in fact, seems to take on a life of its own with its gurgling commentary.
Actors rise to the challenge
Line delivery – and memorization for that matter – can be a challenge for young actors, and without successful delivery, the audience will barely understand what a Shakespearean play is about. Yet, despite the wide variety of experience of the cast assembled by director Jared Lenover, lines and meaning were effectively conveyed throughout the performance.
And there were several performances which were exceptional.
There is a lovely, warm innocence to the central love characters Hero (her) and Claudio (him), portrayed by Ellis Ritz and Johnny Thirakul. They were a good match. Each actor was warm and genuine in their more vulnerable moments.
Michael Hannigan and Aimee Kessler-Evans, as the elder statespersons, are comfortable in their own skin and roles on stage throughout the performance. Hannigan is always fun to watch, he is so at ease whatever his posturing.
The experience and English accent of Muneer Malik-Noor give his portrayal of Benedick immediate appeal, and he is always animated in his expression. His counterpart, Tina Aurora, as Beatrice, does well to keep up with Malik-Noor with her evil eye and daring body language. Again, these two are matched
nicely.
Dogberry is the chief constable of Much Ado, and he is ordinarily a necessary boring representation of the order that must be kept at Messina, Inc. His presence could even be described as plodding, but young Bianca Aquilina is given the role (kudos to director Lenover again), and her diminutive presence is larger than life when she takes the stage. The young high school student is a spark plug, and there is nothing dogged about her portrayal. She makes her
charges cower, and there is good, clean physical comedy in the difference of stature between Aquilina and Noun Holloway, who towers over her.
This physical difference, by the way, is the only difference of note which director Lenover draws to the audience’s attention. Instead, despite many diverse people on the stage, there is an intentional homage to diverse representation in this production in the way that not a single person is singled out for being different. It's a refreshing approach, and it makes sense that the '80s are simply nostalgia for the setting. Instead, this Much Ado is a futuristic utopia where people see one another as people, without labels.
Additional notes
Many productions make a big deal out of the sexual suggestiveness of the play (including the title - look it up) or the name of Benedick (think about it). This production doesn’t shy away from a few dirty jokes; they’re in the language of the play, after all, but it doesn’t make
a big deal of them.
Lastly, there is music. It can’t be '80s nostalgia without bad electronic dance music, so there’s that, with choreography, in the play. And it’s fun. There is also original music, written by Patrick Lenover and Maia Kirby, which is very good indeed. Andy Black carries songs very well, including a funeral dirge, accompanied by several actors, which was as hauntingly beautiful as a song by Leonard Cohen.
The play is long, and its appeal will be greater amongst Shakespeare fans, but it is well done – challenging and delightful.
Show times
The Dundas Little Theatre production of Much Ado About Nothing runs this weekend (Jan. 31 to Feb. 2) and next (Feb. 7 to 9), with evening shows on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and a matinee on Sunday at 2 p.m.
For ticket information, visit the theatre's website.
