Hilarity and Highjinks Abound in Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria
ALEXANDRIA, VA-Pull up a barstool at the Bar Messina. We’re in the courtyard and a duo is playing a jazzy rendition of “A Sunday Kind of Love”. It’s present day in the French Quarter of New Orleans where this unconventionally told love story begins. Surely The Bard never envisioned his classic romcom set in the wilds of NOLA, and neither could we, but this rendition seems, well, just right, which is precisely the magic of Shakespeare – its relevancy to our modern times.
Director Joey Pierce, a New Orleans transplant, gives us all the flair and fabulousness we could ever dream of, plus a tremendous 19-actor cast that keeps the merriment at peak performance. There’s the feisty, clever-tongued Beatrice who scorns all suitors and her wordplay match, Benedick, who sets his cap for her. Claudio and his maiden, Hero, a charmer, who crushes on Claudio much to his amazement until Don Pedro, a swashbuckling soldier (who in this incarnation is gay) and his illegitimate brother, Don John who along with Borachio foments a plot against the lovers. And, lest you forget, there’s Leonato, Hero’s father who with his wife, Antonia (an introduced character), seek to protect their daughter against all slyly invented scandal.
Amid all this undermining, scheming and duly faithful affection, our characters show us a festive time. There’s line dancing – the Electric Slide! – and massive doses of comedic pratfalls, secretive plots, frequent drinking, a madly funny scene with Benedick hiding behind the bar listening in to a men’s convo led by Don Pedro about how Beatrice adores him all the while pretending they don’t know he’s there. It’s the consummate set up to convince him she’s in love with him. When our heroine, Bea, hooks up with her gal pals, to share the exciting news, they all do shots. Well, it is New Orleans, after all. Make me a sazerac!
Later we encounter an ersatz sheriff with his band of nincompoops, aka “The Watch”. In fine comic form they have been deputized to arrest the duplicitous men who are lolling about engaged in a TV show about swamp creatures. Cue the Cajun accents and conjure up the Keystone Kops.
The whole play is witty, silly, charming and absolutely hilarious – played to the hilt and beyond. Julie Fischer’s two-level set design is oh-so-clever and Joan Lawrence’s costumes nail the styles with Benedick, Claudio and their cohorts in military camouflage, the ladies in brightly colored dresses, and Hero’s faux funeral scene that has all the hallmarks of a New Orleans’ style homegoing.
Recommended to cure what ails you!
With Paul Brewster as Leonato, Amelia Jacquat as Hero, Jess Rawls as Beatrice, Seth Rue as Benedick, Zachary Litwiller as Don John, Michael McGovern as Don Pedro, Lily Larsen as Margaret, Brendan Chaney as Borachio, Smithchai Chutchainon as Claudio, Judy Rolph Ebner as Antonia, Jeff Elmore as Dogberry, Megan Fraedrich as Balthasar Sister/Sexton, Tamika Taylor as Ursula, Michelle Hughes as Balthasar Sister, Dan Lavanga as Verges/Friar Francis, Leo Mairena as First Watchman, Ruth Scherr as Second Watchman, Jaye Frazier as Messenger/Third Watchman and Michael Townsend as Conrade.
Assistant Director Heather Sanderson, Choreography by Melissa Dunlap, Lighting Design by Jeffrey Auerbach and Kimberly Crago (JK Lighting), Sound Design by Alan Wray, Hair and Makeup by Jennifer Finn.
Through April 19th at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. For tickets and information call the box office at 703-683-0496 or visit www.TheLittleTheatre.com.
SEE ALSO: Scholarship Fund’s Annual Gala Is April 26
