Much Ado About Nothing, July 21, 2019 ***

THEATRE 

By William Shakespeare

Bell Shakespeare

Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, until July 27, 2019 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: *** 

This review also published in Herald Sun Arts in print on Tues July 23, 2019. KH

Much Ado About Nothing_Duncan Ragg_Zindzi Okenyo- pic Clare Hawley

In Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, there is indeed much ado in a plot that is riddled with deception, false accusations, cowardly behaviour and loves lost and regained.

Sharp-tongued Beatrice (Zindzi Okenyo) and the acerbic Benedick (Duncan Ragg) trade witty, caustic insults that mask their true feelings for each other, while Benedick’s fellow soldier, Claudio (Will McDonald), falls in love and plans to marry Beatrice’s sweet-natured cousin, Hero (Vivienne Awosoga).

Of course, it all goes terribly wrong when the villainous Don John (Paul Reichstein), vindictive, illegitimate brother of Don Pedro (Danny Ball), tells Claudio porkies about Hero being unfaithful.

James Evans’ production is spirited and entertaining, but uncomfortably reframes the nature of Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship by portraying Benedick as an unsophisticated, gawky clown, going against the commonly held view of him as a rakish womaniser with a scathing wit.

Ragg is hilarious as this physically clownish interpretation of Benedick and almost steals the show with his comic business.

However, because his Benedick is so cleverly comical, he overshadows Shakespeare’s buffoon, Dogberry (Mandy Bishop), a pompous policeman who misuses words and clumsily stumbles upon criminals.

The first half is the more successful and cohesive, setting up the return of the soldiers from battle, introducing Beatrice and Benedick’s mocking banter, revealing Don John’s villainy, and exposing Claudio and Don Pedro’s weakness and sexism.

Okenyo plays Beatrice with a contemporary sass and toughness, while Awosoga allows the usually submissive and naive Hero some vivacity.

McDonald’s Claudio has a coltish, youthful physicality, Ball captures the vanity of the princely Don Pedro, while David Whitney is dignified as Leonato, and Reichstein is suitably dislikeable as the malicious Don John.

Although this production feels unbalanced with its shift of emphasis to make Benedick the central clown figure, it will engage and divert an audience not expecting its Shakespeare to adhere to a more traditional interpretation.

By Kate Herbert