Reviews: Much Ado About Nothing Presented by Clarksburg HS
Written by Arianna Collins of Quince Orchard High School
The pale pinks and warm yellows of a sunrise washes over the village of Messina, Italy, where a royal wedding is set to begin. An elegant bride draped in white glides down the aisle, ignorant to the lies and deception that will upend her wedding and her life in mere moments. Grab your rapier and your hobby horse and prepare for the hilariously dramatic tale of Clarksburg High School's production of Much Ado About Nothing.
One of Shakespeare's lesser known comedies, Much Ado About Nothing is a jovial play full of wit, banter, and lots of sass. Thought to be written sometime in the late 15th century, the play centers around cousins Beatrice and Hero as they meet their matches in Benedick of Padua and Claudio of Florence, whether that be in romance or in unbridled sarcasm. The men are returning from war with their companion Don Pedro and his bastard sister Don John, who’s ready to do anything to take her brother down. The whirlwind of weddings, lies, and tragedy leaves any audience on the edge of their seats. Shakespeare’s original play was five acts long and the script had to be shortened for this production, but that didn't stop Clarksburg Stage's actors and crew from delivering a memorable and amusing performance.
Max van Akkeren’s (Benedick) comedic timing and physical comedy combined to form a hilariously captivating character that had the audience ringing with laughter. One of the set pieces that van Akkeren utilized the most in his performance was the fountain, which he would jump on, fall into, and pose on throughout the play, giving a slapstick energy to his movements and portrayal. Van Akkeren's energy was only matched by Sarah Ulicny as Beatrice, whose perfectly witty comebacks and sarcastic nature made for quick, seamless, and natural banter that both actors utilized to perfect the enemies-to-lovers dynamic of the characters.
Beatrice's aunt, Leonata, played by Mariana Cabral Vives, gave a striking performance that haunted the audience with her cries of grief and sorrow. Each of Vives's words dripped with despair and rage as she reprimanded Claudio and Don Pedro, and her aggressive swipes and jabs portrayed a vengeful grieving mother who would do anything for her daughter's sake. Vives's commanding and distinctly royal presence on stage provided a character that moved and sparked sympathy from the audience with her pure presence and emotion.
Tackling the task of creating and altering clothing that would fit into the 16th century is no easy feat, but the costumes done by Molly Ridgway, Leila Rickhoff, Lydia Wester and the CHS Stage Costume Crew far exceeded expectations. From Hero and her companions, to Dogberry and her watchmen, the team took great care to make sure each costume not only matched the era, but matched each actor's character and their stories. Through the transition between Leonata's regal and shining Elizabethan gold and red gown worn for most of the first act to a muted gown of the same style following her daughter's death, the costume team revealed how the life and joy had been sucked out of the governor by her loss.
Through all the deception and romance, Clarksburg High School's production of Much Ado About Nothing was an unforgettable tangle of comedy and tragedy that managed to make even the most comical scenes filled with emotion.
Written by Alden Walcott of South Lakes High School
Grab your sword and join this battle of the sexes fought with sharp-tongued banter, a skirmish of wits, and a dash of budding romance. Throw in the lyricism of iambic pentameter and a sprinkle of comic tomfoolery, and Clarksburg High School’s production of Much Ado About Nothing shows audiences why love is worth fighting for.
First published in 1598, Much Ado About Nothing is one of William Shakespeare's best known comedies. It centers around two romantic couples that meet when a group of men led by Don Pedro triumphantly arrives in town. Local noblewoman Leonata's daughter, Hero, and Claudio, one of the men, fall in love at first sight and plan a wedding. Meanwhile, Leonata's niece, Beatrice, and Claudio's friend Benedick amuse the group with miscommunications and witty banter as each is tricked into believing that the other has fallen in love with them before ultimately realizing that indeed they are a perfect match. Clarksburg’s ensemble brought a fresh and modern energy to the Shakespearean classic, transporting audiences to the time of the Italian Renaissance while ensuring the comedy shone through.
The production was anchored by the compelling stage presence and masterful physical comedy of Max van Akkeren as Benedick. His intentional gait and brash confidence as he bantered with the men was bested only by the comedic timing of his frantic dive into the shrubbery as he eavesdropped on his companions, his head popping up through the rosebush like a disbelieving meerkat, wide-eyed and incredulous, at mention of Beatrice’s love for him. Matching him in confidence and wit was the delightful Sarah Ulicny as Beatrice, whose flirtatious, clever punchlines kept Benedick frantically twisting in the wind, trying to regain the upper hand. The duo played into the would-be lovers’ chemistry, Benedick’s softer vocal tones and grounded body language expressing his yearning for her as someone tantalizingly close but just out of reach.
Bringing levity and laughter to the stage was the hapless Constable Dogberry, brought to life with enthusiastic panache by Lydia Wester. From Dogberry’s first enthusiastic gallop onto the scene, to her frantic and increasingly distraught reactions to being called “an ass,” the audience laughed out loud at her intentionally tangled logic and diction as she tried to no avail to explain the ruse she thought she had uncovered.
Tristan Perkins, Alexa Davlatova, Sasha Batista and the CHStage set crew brought the alluring essence of a Renaissance Italian town to life. With a two-story, cobblestoned set designed to hold multiple actors on a second story balcony, and realistic greenery draping the walls and archways throughout the town and creating romantic ambiance for a wedding, the set delivered an immersive experience to enhance the story. The atmosphere of an Old World Italian villa was enhanced by the lighting design of Vick Peterson, Olivia Lee, and Olivia Downing, which alternately used hushed tones of red, orange and pink lighting to mimic a sunrise, and richer blue and purple tones to create the romance of an evening in a Tuscan garden. The subtle dimming of the stage lighting when each romantic partnership was acting together also provided a subliminal dimension to the scenes that called for vulnerability and honesty from the actors, drawing the audience’s attention to the themes of the play.
Clarksburg’s production of Much Ado About Nothing ends with both sets of lovers finding their way back to each other - love ultimately won not by the sword but by seeking the truth. Love is an act of faith, and it is in the most truthful and vulnerable moments, after all, that one often finds it.