I'm going to be honest: I was never subjected to much Shakespeare in high school, and it wasn't until recently that I began to appreciate him. Assuming most people feel similarly, it’s fascinating that the Andrews University Theater Wings' presentation of William Shakespeare's comedy “Much Ado About Nothing” opened at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, to a full auditorium. Directed by Joel Pelletier and Reagan Westerman, the production transformed Buller Hall's Newbold Auditorium into a stage. Given that the performance, starring Roman Jordache as Benedick and JJ Nixon as Beatrice, routinely had the audience laughing, I would count it as a success.
Following a brief video thanking sponsors and laying down the house rules, the lights dimmed and jaunty medieval music began on the speakers. The stage left doors burst open, and the play began. The story of this Shakespearean drama centers on two couples and their surrounding intrigues. The first pairing, Count Claudio, played by Amos Cadet, and Hero, played by Westerman, are in love, but must overcome the meddling of a discontented Don John (Kyle Simpson) and his minions (Scott Peterson and Zachary King) to achieve their happy ending. The other pair, Benedick and Beatrice, must overcome their mutual hatred of each other, as their friends conspire to make them fall in love. A fake death, mistaken identity, a bush hat, a woman left at the altar, a plague doctor with teal sneakers; there were many hijinks and much tomfoolery.
Animating these varied schemes was the Theater Wing’s diverse ensemble. The casting for this production was spot-on, especially for the leads. My friend, Bethany Hawkins (sophomore, music composition), who attended the play with me, noted that the actors’ personalities perfectly matched their characters’. Jordache's performance had the perfect incorrigibility to portray a ladies’ man committed to dying a bachelor. Nixon's Beatrice handled her Shakespearean burns with such grace that they came out like she meant them. In general, the cast did well with the difficult Shakespearean language. There was some occasional awkwardness with it, and a few flubbed lines, but also a consistently decent recovery. Between Nixon's rapid-fire witticisms, Jordache's measured pauses, and ample physical comedy (most notably that of Andrew Kipp’s Leonato and Abel Pelletier as a watchman), the production was very funny and all-around, the acting was competent.
On the topic of Shakespearean language, as is the custom with modern stagings of Shakespeare, there were some adjustments to the script, as well as the usual abridgments. Examples included a 6-7 joke and a chorus of “he's been a naughty boy, spank him!” as the watchmen led Don John's cronies away. My personal favorite was the ad-libbed “What an ass,” from Leonato's sister directed at the constable. (It is here that I will gleefully note Anna Rybachek's awesome crash out after being so called.) I didn't find all the script alterations to be an asset, though. Betwixt the introduction of the watchmen and the unfortunate first wedding of Claudio and Hero, there was an interlude wherein Friar Francis/George Seacole (played by Joel Pelletier) addressed the audience about being both friar and watchman as he changes into his priestly frock. I found the scene to be somewhat confusing, and it threw off the momentum for me. Are the friar and the watchman supposed to be the same person? If so, that opens a plot hole: Why didn't the friar clear up the whole scandal while everyone was gathered for the wedding?
Kipp, also performing as creative director, did a great job with the costuming. Though I'm sure a critical eye would note some sort of historical inaccuracy, for the tenor and almost Ren Faire aesthetic of the show, they fit perfectly. The women's dresses were so pretty (I want one) and the bold colors of outfits in general fit the play’s fantastical air. I appreciated how the costumes maintained consistency across characters, but left room for identifying details: all the Prince’s crew wore the same blue doublet (except when Benedick, stricken with love for Beatrice, became like a lovesick fool and put on a poet shirt), but the Prince had a golden-handled sword; all the women wore the same dress, but with different colored bodices. One particular costume that stood out to me was that of Antonia, Leonato's sister, played by Jean Peterson. Though wearing the same dress as all the other ladies, the overskirt, grayed hair, make-up and cane 100% sold the old lady look.
As creative director, Kipp also oversaw the set design. Consisting of stools, stylized vertical shrubbery, and low walls, props for the settings were minimal, but they were used well. The scene where the Prince, Leonato and Claudio plant the seeds of love in Benedick's mind showcased that amply: Jordache ducking behind and between various accoutrements made for perhaps the funniest scene in the whole play. The use of the auditorium aisles was typical of the Shakespeare plays I've seen, and I appreciate the choice to make the play sort of interactive. While I do feel that more props and set dressings (for instance, a backdrop) could have brought the play to life in a different way—and prevented scenes where everyone stands around chatting in a somewhat sparsely decorated void— overall, the scenery was sufficient to transform the space.
Between all the spoken dialogue, the audience was blessed with two musical numbers—not enough to make the show a musical, unfortunately (maybe next year?). The first, a guitar ballad in the garden, and the second, an a cappella requiem, at the grave were well sung. I did have difficulty sometimes understanding the lyrics for lack of mic, but both songs were tuneful. Kudos to Shira Frost and Amos Cadet for their musical aptitude, and to the AV crew for their work providing additional background music.
Although by no means a short play—it was a hefty three hours—the time didn't drag. The show was regularly amusing across both acts, although I found the comedy of the witty first half to be a bit better than the ridiculous slapstick of the second half. I and—if the large crowd reactions were any indication—the rest of the audience found the performance to be nothing if not extremely enjoyable. Though slightly smaller, the audience on Sunday afternoon was more reactive, and by the end of the curtain call, over half of the attendees were giving a hearty standing ovation. The Theater Wing, to borrow a phrase from the youth’s slang, ate it up this year. This was a fine performance in my book, and even my Shakespeare-hating friends had to concede the show was droll. I hope we have more Shakespeare in the future, but even if not, I can't wait to see what AU thespians do next.
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