MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING by William Shakespeare, directed by Robert Currier. Forest Meadows Amphitheatre,
KEEP THEM LAUGHING
There are many ways to make Shakespeare’s plays palatable for diverse audiences thus encouraging the reluctant to attend performances. September’s balmy Bay Area weather, especially in Marin, is an added incentive to plan an outing for Marin Shakes final offering of the season that is designed to keep you laughing.
Quality acting is not a necessity when the primary purpose is to entertain and it appears that director Robert Currier has accepted that truism by substituting broad physical humor and dressed his cast in eclectic costumes for no reason other than to garner laughs. The scene where superb actor Darren Bridgett, hitting soft golf balls dressed in a golfer’s outfit before climbing over
Benedick (played by Darren Bridgett) "waggles" over his relationship with Beatrice in Marin Shakespeare Company's production of "Much Ado About Nothing."
Photo by Morgan Cowin
the wooden benches was gobbled up by the audience. Later, Bridgett displaying his athletic ability as he climbs a very sturdy arched trellis ending up hanging by one foot brings a volley of gasps. Throw in on-stage music provided by Linnea George on violin, Terry Rucker on guitar and Mick
The accolades belong to Darren Bridgett (Benedick) and sexy Cat Stevens (Beatrice) as the star-crossed lovers both, initially, profess disdain for love and marriage. Their early scenes of verbal struggle and haughty indifference create recognizable sparks and their gradual conversion to being married lovers has a ring of truth. The secondary love story between Claudio (Christopher Maikish) and youthful Hero (Khamara Pettus) involves a protracted story-line when villain Don John (Ryan Schmidt) and his sidekick Borrachio (Brian Trybom) hatch a plot to discredit Hero’s virginity. The unlikely heroes who discover the plot are Constable Dogberry (Michael Ray Wisely) and his deputies. Dogberry is written in the mold of Falstaff and is intended to create laughter. Wisely’s performance is over-the-top, extended too far yet he and his motley crew elicit guffaws but not robust laughter.
This performance is a crowd pleaser and to director Currier’s credit the running time of 2 hours and 30 minutes zips along.
Courtesy of TheatreWorld Internet Magazine