MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING till 12 October.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: William Shakespeare.
RSC: Swan – The Complete Works Festival.
Runs: 3h, one interval, in rep till 12 October.
Review: Rod Dungate, 18 May 2006.
The two sides of this particular coin given full value.
The chosen setting for this production is Cuba, ‘around 1953’. It works very well . . . it brings together the heat, passion, class, military influence. Director Marianne Elliott encourages the company to go for the Cuban feel with a vengeance, much to our delight. And there’s a huge bonus attached to this . . . the approach to the darkness at the play’s centre. The company swoop into this and also give it all they have. The two halves of the play collide, we can have our cake and eat it.
In addition we have two terrific leads and a whole host of other carefully judged performances.
Tamsin Greig is a Beatrice for our age. Tall and elegant (particularly in her tailored outfits – designs by Lez Brotherston), she creates an unforced, natural comedy; it appears to be a perfect balance between sharp tongue and desire for fun. Yet you sense always a repressed sadness at her centre – a pain eventually relieved in her relationship with Benedick.
Joseph Millson’s Benedick is quite hard to like at first – a dangerous road the actor treads. But as he loses his beard (a remarkable transformation) so we warm to him. We will the couple to get together.
The moment when they actually do get their act together is beautifully handled. Love and hate and passion become inextricably linked as the couple kiss, hug, laugh – an emotional roller-coaster taking them on a fearful journey. From this Beatrice whispers her chilling demand – ‘Kill Claudio’.
Surrounding this couple there is much to be admired.
Nicholas Day is an intriguing Leonato. A slightly comedic character at first, he grows in power and stature as the play moves along. Leon Tanner plays is brother; they totally convince in their relationship.
Jonny Weir’s Don John is darkly menacing and Bette Bourne’s Dogberry a delight. What clever casting Bourne is, and he and Steven Beard (Verges) create a duo you’d happily see a lot more of. Then there’s Caroline Wildi’s enchanting cameo of Ursula, Hero’s attendant.
Elliott’s production is energetic and cleverly paced; she clearly is sensitive to the play’s tough demands. My only reservation; in Neil Austin’s atmospheric lighting, I found some scenes a tad too dark to see . . . and I didn’t want to miss a thing.
Don Pedro: Patrick Robinson.
Don John: Jonny Weir.
Benedick: Joseph Millson.
Count Claudio: Adam Rayner.
Borachio: Jamie Ballard.
Conrade: Geoffrey Lumb.
Messenger: Simon Bubb.
Boy: Curtis Flowers.
Leonato: Nicholas Day.
Antonio: Leon Tanner.
Hero: Morven Christie.
Beatrice: Tamsin Greig.
Margaret: Amy Brown.
Ursula: Caroline Wildi.
Balthasar: Yvette Rochester-Duncan.
Dogberry: Bette Bourne.
Verges: Steven Beard.
Watchmen: Christopher Davies, Curtis flowers, Shane Frater, Sam O'Mahony-Adams.
Friar Francis: Patrick Romer.
The Sexton: John Heffernan.
Directed by: Marianne Elliott.
Designed by: Lez Brotherston.
Lighting Designed by: Neil Austin.
Music Composed by: Olly Fox.
Sound Designed by: Christopher Shutt.
Movement Directors: Sarah Gorman and Susannah Broughton.
Fights Directed by: Alison de Burgh.
Music Director: Bruce O’Neil.
Assistant Director: Alex Sims.
Company Voice Work by: Jacquie Crago and Charmian Gradwell.
2006-05-20 11:00:31