REVIEW: Much Ado about Nothing at Gray’s Inn Hall

Gray’s Inn is a beautiful quiet location just a few minutes from Chancery Lane station and as the sun sets over the square and you enter Gray’s Inn Hall, you will find yourself transported to Southern France where a bar is waiting for you with drinks and snacks, and you will be invited to take your seat around the traverse stage for Antic Disposition’s latest production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing. 

Directors Ben Horslen and John Riseboro set the stage in 1945 as troops are returning home and stopping by the little town of Messina, where the soldier Claudio falls in love with the local Governor’s daughter Hero and Beatrice and Benedick, after having sworn off love, seem more and more drawn to each other as the days progress. Indeed, their friends will engineer situations and fake conversations to bring the two closer together and make them fall in love. The play is one of Shakespeare’s witty, light and very summery plays and the result is a warm and enjoyable production.

The set design by John Riseboro and the lighting by Lizzy Gunby are lovely, submerging the space with warmth, romantic colours and a dreamy sense. 

REVIEW: Much Ado About Nothing at the Verulamium Roman Theatre

An invitation to drive out to St Albans to see a musical version of Shakespeare's Much Ado about nothing set in the 1950's and staged in the Roman Theatre of Verulamium is too tempting to resist and the effort was certainly rewarded.For the production company OVO this is the 17th Shakespeare play staged in the innovative, imaginative and inspiring way they approach the challenge . Directors Adam Nichols and Janet Podd have a very strong creative flair that does not simply transport the words into modern dress but breathes fresh ideas into the story telling that makes it accessible to a first time audience and fresh and interesting for those who know the play well. On this occasion their vision is a sort of Happy Days meets South Pacific! 

Don John becomes Joanna, whose jealousy is fuelled by being rejected by the new singing sensation the Sonnettes. Leonato, becomes Leonata the owner of a fast food cafe and mother of Beatrice, the lead singer in the Sonnettes. But they don't stop there Antonio becomes a waitress Antonia and Verges becomes Vergine, the wife of Dogberry and the chorus becomes singers in the Sonnettes, waitresses in the cafe and sailors from the USS Gull hitting town for some rest and relaxation. Then they scatter the script with fifties references such flying a U2 out of Russia, Cuban cigars, Superman and Jackie Kennedy and host of hit songs from the era. It is bold and imaginative and works especially in the wonderful first half which sets up the story. In the second Act, the tone changes reflecting the different style in the original but it feels like more of the original play and language is retained and as a result is less effective.