The 2013 Shakespeare in the Park is much smaller than last year’s – only one play. I feel a bit let down after the marathon effort of three plays last summer! This season features a smaller cast, too, but Much Ado About Nothing lends itself to a fair amount of doubling of minor roles, which worked quite seamlessly.
This is a very funny production. The setting is Albany, Western Australia: the date, 1945. The watch is played by a Dad’s Army crew featuring the inimitable Sam Longley as Dogberry. Claire Munday, with her amazing gift for accents, gave us an amusing Welsh 1st watch as well as a daffy Scottish Margaret, while newcomer Geordie Crawley gave us a commendable 2nd watch, as well as entertainingly playing Ursula en travestie.
It was a nice change to see one of Longley’s usual partners-in-crime, Sean Walsh, in the more serious role of the evil Don John, although he did double skilfully as the comic Sexton. James Hagan switched between Antonio and Verges with aplomb. Newbie Jordan Hollaway as Conrad and Marco Jovanovic as Don Pedro gave commendable performances, and special mention must go to Garreth Bradshaw, who gave us a well-crafted Borachio but shone as Friar Francis, imparting an unusual level of depth and gravitas to the role, as well as a hint of an Irish brogue.
The key actors – Hannah Day as Beatrice, Sophie Lester as Hero, David Davies as Benedick, Nick Maclaine as Claudio and Stephen Lee as Leonato – also played their roles convincingly. Lester, a relatively inexperienced performer, did a fine job of Hero and was a wonderful foil for Day’s suitably shrewish and very confident Beatrice. Maclaine, as Claudio, made a good job of showing us a man who is not used to revealing his emotions, but who is nevertheless beset by mood swings when confronted with news that his fiancée has been unfaithful. Lee’s Leonato gave us a picture of a man very aware of his responsibilities to his family as well as to his position as Governor. Davies, despite being slightly miscast as Benedick, gave us plenty of laughs. His creep along the ground in front of the stage while eavesdropping on Claudio, Leonato and Don Pedro, was a highlight.
Yet sadly, this was a rather less polished production than any of last year’s offerings. I hasten to add that this was opening night, and a very windy one. At times the actors’ words were simply blown away. Furthermore, the first half occasionally seemed just a tad hesitant and under-rehearsed, with one or two of the players appearing to drop in and out of character.
After interval, the pace picked up and so did the confidence of the performers – and anyway, this is Shakespeare, and, windy evening notwithstanding, the bard’s words always shine through. I would imagine that by the time you read this, the actors will be in full stride and you will see an even better show than we did on opening night.
I will repeat my advice from last year: go early to get a good spot, take your own seats and picnic, and if the temperature is expected to drop below 20, take warm clothes. Once the sun’s gone down, the wind can whistle through the park and chill you to the core. But while the wonderful entertainment of Shakespeare in the Park may not warm your bones, it will certainly warm your spirit!
Rating: 3 ½ stars out of 5
Shakespeare WA presents
Shakespeare in the Park 2013
Much Ado About Nothing
Director: Paige Newmark
Set and Lighting Design: Jake Newby
Costume Design: Ingrid Proos
Choreography: Jessica Waters
Sound: Hugh Jennings
Stage Manager: Craig Williams
Cast includes: Gareth Bradshaw, Geordie Crawley, David Davies, Hannah Day, James Hagan, Jordan Hollaway, Marco Jovanovic, Stephen Lee, Sophie Lester, Sam Longley, Nick Maclaine, Claire Munday, Sean Walsh,
Botanic Gardens, Kings Park, Perth
4 January – 2 February
