Theater Review | ‘Much Ado About Nothing’
UC Santa Barbara’s Naked Shakes Brings Shakespeare to the Park and Back to Campus in October
Shakespeare enthusiasts filled Godric Grove to enjoy the hijinks of classic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, presented as a collaboration between Elings Park and Naked Shakes, UCSB’s minimalistic, acting-focused Shakespeare program. Directed by program head Irwin Appel, there is much to enjoy about Much Ado, from the performers’ lively energy and easy comedy to the picturesque outdoor setting for these troublemaking youths to frolic. Here’s hoping Elings and Naked Shakes can continue to bring Shakespeare in the park to Santa Barbara for years to come.
The Shakespearian comedies pull from an arsenal of recognizable gags (disguises and misidentification; gossip and meddling plots; light, “sporting” emotional torture) that escalate absurd situations to absolute madness. Much Ado follows a wealthy family from Messina, as well as their various friends, adherents, and attendants. Back from battle, there is precious little to keep everyone occupied, so they interfere in each other’s affairs — to a pernicious degree. It’s all fun and games to manipulate Beatrice and Benedick into recognizing their compatibility, but when Hero is impersonated in flagrante, shamed at the altar, and pronounced dead so the accusers will suffer her loss — that’s a whole different level of prank.
Much Ado delivers truly enjoyable performances creating characters that feel very modern. Beatrice (Sara Sadjadi) is that friend who makes it abundantly clear that they don’t care (while secretly caring very deeply); Benedick (Rudolphe Le Feuvre) might as well have come straight from the marina in the Hamptons (“it’s more of a sailing cruiser than a yacht…”); and Don John (Jake Marshall) is the frustrated emo kid who is so over these people. The addition of the live jazz band (for music and comic emphasis) is an extra delight, and Much Ado at Elings feels fresh and fun.
If you missed the Elings run, Much Ado About Nothing will return to the UCSB campus for performances October 11-13.
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