Who doesn’t love a little belligerent sexual tension?
William Shakespeare certainly did, as he basically fathered the trope with Much Ado About Nothing, now playing in repertory with Macbeth at the Houston Shakespeare Festival.
Much Ado About Nothing is a tale of two couples contending with eavesdropping, double crossing, trickery and, of course, themselves. It begins with the arrival of Don Pedro’s party at the home of Leonato, a governor who lives with his daughter, Hero, and niece, Beatrice. Don Pedro’s group includes his illegitimate brother, Don John; committed bachelor, and Beatrice’s one-time love interest, Benedick; and a young soldier, Claudio. It takes no time at all for Hero to capture Claudio’s attention, or for Benedick and Beatrice to start verbally sparring. Don Pedro schemes to make a match between Claudio and Hero, and schemes some more with Leonato, Claudio and Hero to get Benedick and Beatrice together.
Deeming themselves the “love gods,” they decide to trick Benedick into thinking Beatrice is in love with him, and trick Beatrice into thinking Benedick is in love with her. Meanwhile, Don John plots to break up Hero and Claudio because…he’s the bad guy.
Interestingly, this is the second time I’ve seen an Amelia Fischer-directed production of Much Ado About Nothing, the first back in 2015 at Rice University. That production was good, and this one is even better.
Fischer’s Much Ado About Nothing is delightful and charming, appealing and pleasant. The play features a strong ensemble, all of which deserve praise for their enthusiasm and, especially, their diction. Crystal clear and accessible, the actors all have a strong grasp on the rhythms of the Shakespeare’s prose as well as the piece’s comedic timing.
Together, Fischer and the cast navigate the comedic peaks and the dramatic valleys as best they can, not shying away from the tonal shifts of the second act while maintaining the show’s overall buoyant mood. It’s not easy, though; Hero’s wedding day humiliation is a tough one to get through.
Fischer is also credited for dance choreography, but it’s worth noting that the entire show is a carefully choreographed, slapstick-y and physical affair. Comedically exaggerated and silly though it is, watching Sullivan slide face down across the stage or do a shoulder roll to hide behind a tree, or Pistorius mimic a bird or “hide” under a blanket, or the others pose and freeze in a ridiculous tableau of conversation – well, it’s amusing.
The success of Much Ado About Nothing tends to rest on the stubborn, smartass-y shoulders of Benedick and Beatrice, here played by Jay Sullivan and Allison Pistorius. Sullivan and Pistorius sparkle opposite each other, their repartee a gift. Sparks fly as they volley off each other easily. Sullivan is highly likeable, and Pistorius’s Beatrice is incredibly layered, equally defensive and vulnerable (even when congested). And, in particular, Pistorius shines in Beatrice’s devotion to and care for Ndu’s Hero in the second act.
Patrick Fretwell is lovestruck and bright-faced as Claudio, while Dinah Ndu’s Hero slips easily from giggly crush to besmirched honor. Alan Brincks, who had the audience laughing before uttering a single line, his Don Pedro dandyish and benevolent. Dain Geist is appropriately discontented and growly as the weaselly villain Don John and Christopher Nicanor is an unapologetically impish Borachio. Avery Kenyatta’s Leonato is affable until he’s the horrified, disgusted father of the second act.
Laura Frye’s scene-stealing, scenery-chewing Dogberry is the hero we need if not deserve. Frye is completely over-the-top and sells it perfectly with an assist from Kyle Clark’s sometimes pouty turn as Verges. Clark pulls double duty as the crafty friar, too – Shakespeare did love his scheming friars, huh?
Scenic Designer Jon Young’s bright blue set is evocative of the play’s seaside setting, and proves to be adaptable with the fluid use of just a few moving set pieces, like a building’s façade or a couple of trees with intricately gnarled branches. Complimenting the set are Jodie Daniels Tannahill’s confectionary costumes, frilly and full and quite easy on the eyes, and Clint Allen’s lighting choices. It really comes together in one moment where the arrival of a starry night drew some audible gasps from the audience.
This production also makes good use of musical transitions, and Sound Designer Jon Harvey really helps in setting the play’s joyous mood. (On another sound-related note, there were some issues with dropped and muffled audio. Some of it is nothing more than may happen at a show, and some of it will probably be corrected by the next performance.)
It could be said that Fischer doesn’t seem all that interested in doing anything new with play, but it’s Shakespeare so it works on its own. What we get is a fun production, one that avoids seeming shallow or frivolous and, most importantly, entertains. Ultimately, this Much Ado About Nothing is light, perfect for a hot Houston night and guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Much Ado About Nothing continues at 8:15 p.m. on August 1, 3 and 5 at Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park. For information, call 832-487-7123 or visit milleroutdoortheatre.com. Free.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
