Theatre Spotlight: Much Ado About Nothing
I'll return to my regular posts after the term ends. The next couple of weeks will be focused on studying and polishing my essays. It's hard to believe that this is the last week of the term! Grad school is moving along rather quickly. Yikes!
November 29, 2013
A quick preface: I went into this production with an open mind--despite hearing and reading all of the negative reviews. I just knew it couldn't be that bad. Keep in mind that most of theatre reviews were published only a week after the show opened. I saw it closing weekend, so I assumed that the production would have made changes and improved over time. This was not the case.
I don't blame the actors. In fact, I felt really sorry for them. The night I saw this show, there were loads of empty seats (and this is closing weekend!). What's worse, some people decided to leave at intermission. :( How sad. All of the blame must go to the director. What was he thinking?!! Many reviewers have picked apart the show in great detail. I'll just touch on three aspects of the production: the concept, the set, and the direction.
The Concept
I actually thought the concept was unique and appealing. They've set this Shakespearean play in wartime Britain during the 1940s. Half of the cast are British and the other half American (Don Pedro’s camp is an American airbase), so that's an interesting dynamic. Specifically, they are black American actors who were supposed to be reminiscent of the Tuskegee Airmen. Benedick and Beatrice are not young lovers in this production, but rather, finding love late in their lives. Redgrave and Jones are the legendary actors chosen for Beatrice and Benedick. All of this could have worked if executed well. Unfortunately, it wasn't.
The Set
It was a minimalist set. Basically, the stage was bare except for this huge rectangular arch in the middle. It was brown, wooden, and ugly. Much of the blocking is staged in or around this arch. So unless you're sitting right in the center rows, you are missing some of the activity happening on either stage left or stage right. I even think this "set piece" had a negative impact on the acoustics, as it probably absorbed most of the sound as the actors delivered their lines.
The Direction
The pacing was slow, the blocking was all over the place (and often distracting), and most of the time, I didn't understand what was happening. The show, with the interval included, was nearly three hours. It moved at a snail's pace, and interspersed throughout were a few music performances and dance scenes...which were awkward. Another problem was the sound. As I mentioned before, that gigantic, wooden arch may have absorbed some of the sound. But, I also think the director instructed the American actors to speak in a Southern drawl. Many British audiences members commented on having difficulty with the accents, but honestly, I think the problem was their lack of enunciation rather than the drawl in their voices. Having superb diction is imperative when performing on the stage, especially when you are delivering lines in Shakespearean language. Adding a southern drawl to one's voice and deciding not to enunciate any of the lines will undoubtedly be a problem for the audience. All of the actors dropped their lines at some point, which made them difficult to understand. This includes Redgrave and Jones. Sometimes Vanessa Redgrave sped through her lines. Other times, James Earl Jones was hesitant with his lines. This really bummed me out because James Earl Jones in known for his voice. The little kid in me is always excited to hear speak because all I can hear is Mufasa! But in this show, I did hear people comment on how he was difficult to understand. Frustrating.
There were several delightful, charming, and funny moments to enjoy throughout the show. But overall, I was very disappointed with this production. I'm pleased that I was able to see Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones on stage together. No doubt, these two are legends. But truth be told, I would have preferred to see them in Driving Miss Daisy, which earned rave reviews during its run in the West End. It's a bummer that I wasn't in London yet--I definitely would have bought a ticket. This production of Much Ado didn't cut it for me. I only paid the discounted ticket price of £12, but I'm sure that folks paying upwards of £52 per ticket were not pleased with such an amateurish theatre experience. This is The Old Vic. You expect to see professional productions that are worth the ticket price. Unfortunately, this production of Much Ado fell short of the mark.
If you want to read more audience reviews, here are a few links:
http://www.planestrainsandplantagenets.com/2013/09/drunk-theatre-week-much-ado-nothing-old-vic/
http://thebluereviews.wordpress.com/2013/09/28/much-ado-about-nothing-at-the-old-vic-i-expected-better/
http://westendwhingers.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/review-much-ado-about-nothing-old-vic/
http://webcowgirl.wordpress.com/2013/09/10/review-much-ado-about-nothing-old-vic-theater/
I'm going into study mode, so posts will be more scarce. You'll hear from me after I turn in all of my assignments. Oh, and I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving...I wish I was home to celebrate! Ah well.
