Saturday 28 May 2011

Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing

I've not seen Shakespeare in the theatre for a while, the last time i seem to recall not enjoying it very much because i was terrified of heights and sitting on the top row at the Globe, anyway, surely the Balcony at the Wyndham's wouldn't be similar at all...
I think it was higher actually, and i managed to book two seats just hanging over the front (o dear, well at least my height issue isn't so bad anymore)
Anyway, Much Ado About Nothing, a play based on the over-the-top simplicity of conversation and life. I understand how this is an oxymoranic sentence, but i can't think of another way to describe it. The version in the Wyndham's, was a contemporary mix of settings/costume of the 80's (Wham) and now. There were things that i noticed, but was unsure whether it was content or my own mind making it up, for example, in the wedding scene, Beatrice is wearing an outfit very similar to Kate Middletons iconic blue engagement dress- But it was mainly 80's. I think the stage managing has tainted my mind a little to notice too much, but in this play it made me enjoy it more because everything was so perfect. I don't pretend to find Shakespeare easy, but the fact that there were children in the stalls laughing in all the right places backs up the choice of cast in this play. Catherine Tate was amazing as Beatrice, although there were the odd moments where she defined herself as "Catherine Tate in the role of..." she made every single word that she said understandable through tone and movement, i only wish i had been closer to the front to be able to see her facial expressions. David Tennant was also very good- he went more for the audience participation angle- confronting the audience with a look, when others were speaking about him, he also had a very good repour with the other characters.
I think the essence of slapstick was something that very much appealed to me- drunken stag do scenes and writing love poems to the sound of an electric miniature keyboard- but i can't say too much without it being ruined for anyone else going to see it. It is definitely something i want to go back and see again, it reminded me so much of BBC's Blackpool, in some ways it was a bit of a musical, although because of the high profile cast, will probably not get a chance to.
I am however now very tempted to go and see it in The Globe, just to recognise the differences in content.

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