Much Ado About Nothing

The always eagerly anticipated annual Shakespeare at The George’s production this year was Director Paula Incledon-Webber’s favourite Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing.  This is a light hearted comedy with all the ingredients you come to expect from The Bard. There are two young couples in love, feuding brothers, soldiers’ loyalties and an all’s well that ends well ending to send everyone home satisfied.

The Jacobean Courtyard at The George Hotel is a superb setting in its own right but this year Designer Perry Incledon-Webber had augmented the balcony area with screens and shutters so realistically it looked to be genuinely part of the structure.  Adding to the overall visual was a splendid backdrop by Rob Barton with the stage encircled by arbours and planters full of beautiful flora, which created a garden feel.  Congratulations on a splendid setting.   Costumes by Helen Arnett and her team were sumptuous, lighting (designed by Max Richardson) was well used and sound (Martin Avery) unobtrusive apart from some dreadful feedback during one of Balthasar’s songs on the last night. Roy Bellass’ music was mellifluous and, of course, appropriate to the period. 

Director Paula Incledon-Webber and Assistant Director Steph Hamer had selected an excellent cast.   Rob Barton commanded the stage as Don Pedro. He created a fine balance between his figure of authority and his more relaxed scenes as “one of the boys” helping along the plots to bring the young lovers together.  By contrast Chris Hudson played Don Pedro’s scheming brother Don John with real evilness and rightly deserved the numerous hisses he drew from the audience. 

The splendid pairing of Dean Laccohee and Josephine Hussey as Leonato and his wife Antonia meant we enjoyed two first-rate performances.  Their daughter Hero was played by the talented Katy Palmer. This role needs the actress to be naïve with very little to show for her character until she is defamed by Don John for sleeping with other men. I felt that Katy certainly came into her own then.  Her love interest is Claudio, a handsome young soldier, extremely well played by Jordan White.

Beatrice is a marvellous role to play for any actress. Strong minded and not taking any nonsense, she refuses to think about marrying but in the end is tricked by the others into realising her love for Benedick.  Just like Kate in “Taming of the Shrew”, this character finally bows to her male lover.  It is hard to think of a better choice than Lynne Livingstone for this role.  She produced an absolutely first class performance.   

Reuben Milne gave us a magnificent Benedick.  He enthralled the audience when he was alone on stage and worked well paired with Lynne; their scenes together were really first rate.

Excellent support in minor principal roles came from James Barwise as Barachio and Ashton Cull as Conrade (Followers of Don Jon), Rebecca Gilbert as Margaret, Lizzie Kostic as Ursula (Servants of Leonato) and Erin Bristow as Balthasar (Musician).   A good deal of humour peppered the production which was certainly added to by Dogberry (Geoffrey Kirkness), Verges (Ron Meadows) and the members of the Watch (Mark Hebert, Ray Livermore, Chris Turner and Keir Sims).  Completing the cast were Kym Downes as Boy and the busy servant girls Natasha Edwards and Ruth Burrows.

Overall this was a well directed, expertly acted production.  Lots of nice directorial touches, in a beautiful setting with colourful costumes.  I almost missed out as I was hit with a health emergency and am truly grateful to Simon Maylor and Ashton Cull for managing to find me a seat for the last night.  It was definitely a production not to miss. Congratulations to all involved in this lively and fun production of this well-loved play

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