Much Ado About Nothing
The Asylum Players
The Blue Room
Lincoln
23 - 25 March 2023
The Asylum Players were planning to bring Shakespeare's beloved comedy to the stage in 2020, just as the World went into lockdown. We all know what happened next. Nevertheless, their desire to stage a 1950's-inspired take on the work has finally reached the stage and Steve Gillard's vibrant, colourful and bouncy take on Shakespeare is well worth the wait. Audiences will be enchanted by the silly tale of lovers who discover that the course of their ardour never does run true.
The setting for this version is Leonato's Diner, a 1950's burger joint with it's brash colour pallette and busy decor. Central to the location is a juke box, as you would expect in any good burger bar of the era and black and white chequers lining the stage blocks. From the moment the audience enters the space, they are drawn into the world as the Asylum Players mis en scene demonstrates the business of the world and the unexpected treat of a barbershop quartet provide the musical backdrop.
The girls bop around in poodle skirts and petticoats. The boys wear leather and snarl. The men wear tuxedos. The world and its parameters are quickly established.
The action begins in a somewhat, unheralded manner as Peter Came's Antonio and Glory Bakyaytita converse quietly but the energy level rises dramatically with the arrival of Don Pedro, Benedick and Claudio. As Don Pedro, the gender-blind casting of Emily Hodgson is a an excellent decision, Hodgson provides a strong, imperious Don Pedro leading his men with confidence and charisma and she maintains his authority and stature throughout the play.
As Benedick, Jordan Shiel is a strong, witty, yet stubborn curmudgeon who fights his feelings over the course of the play and Benedick's relationship with Beatrice is perfectly played.
Finally, James Green (who I last saw playing SIr Percy in Blackadder) provides a handsome, love-struck ,heartthrob and a perfect complement to Benedick's cynical grouch.
The "Baddies" as they are billed in the programme are Don John, Borachio and Conrade. Joe Hayden gives Don John a constant air of intensity.
His deeply unpleasant lieutenants are played by the menacing Nathan Haymer-Bates and Sam Mant. Their scheming and machinations seek to undermine the affair between Claudio and Hero and provide a good contrast to the light nature of this comedy.
The Diner Crew is led by Chris Adams' world-weary Leonato, the owner of the establishment and his brother Antonio. But these two elder statesmen are not the true focus of the Diner Crew.
Instead, it is the girls of the crew who are the principal focus of our attention. Beatrice and Hero are the leading ladies. Emma Haigh's Beatrice, beautifully channeling Imelda May's rockabilly stylings, is the older and more worldly-wise Beatrice, determined to remain a singleton despite the many advances of unsuitable suitors.
In contrast Laura Turner's youthful exuberance as Hero is the perfect object for Claudio's affection. The dynamic between the two women as performers makes the play and, in turn, their relationships with Benedick and Claudio drive the plot like a rasping, rockabilly, guitar riff.
Filling out the Diner Crew are Amy Magnone as Ursula, Kesra Mothersole as Margaret and Thea Smith as Elizabeth, all of whom look wonderful as the waitresses at the diner and perform not only as character but perhaps as stage crew too within the context of the play changing the furniture almost imperceptibly at times to allow the action to flow.
Special mention must be made of the impressive vocal talents of the barbershop quartet who maintain and all-seeing choral presence throughout the action and fill in extra roles as necessary. Their close harmony singing is a joy and to hear their takes on some classic tunes by the Beach Boys is fabulous. The vocals soar and warm the heartstrings as each voice blends to create te greater sound. Mike Griffiths, Jonathan Oakley, Glory Bakyaytita and Martin McCarthy deserve much applause at the end of the show and will no doubt have earned it from their audiences. The quartet also perform as The Watch working alongside the comedy stylings of Dogberry and Verges played by Jeremy Forward and Holly Turner who provide a much-needed change of pace in the second act and who conveniently manage to clear the good name of the much-maligned, Hero.
This production was a pleasure to watch. The brightness of the set, the wonderful costuming, the live music, the slapstick comedy, and some unexpected hilarity from props not behaving as they should at times, fake moustaches or masks that refuse to stay in situ all combine to
create a wonderful world of entertainment.
I cannot recommend The Asylum Players highly enough. They provide high quality, intelligent, exciting productions and always manage to challenge their audience in unexpected ways. Much Ado About Nothing is no exception to this and Gillard's directorial flourish adds stardust to the production. The show runs at Lincoln's Blue Room until Saturday 25 March and ticket availability is now limited. Strive to get one if you haven't already.
Andy Evans 23 March 2023
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