When we think of Shakespeare we too often recall the required reading of our high school days.  We remember the romance of Romeo and Juliet, the tragedy of Julius Caesar, the imagery of Macbeth or Hamlet.  I find that what often gets missed is just how clever and funny the Bard can be.  That humor is on excellent display in the witty, and beautifully designed new production of Much Ado About Nothing at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre.  The play, one of Shakespeare’s most riotous comedies, is here set in the Italy of World War I – which provides a perfectly logical reason for the arrival of Don Pedro and his troops in the town of Messina.  There they rest from duty and enjoy visiting the household of the governor, Leonato.  It just so happens that one of the soldiers, Benedick, has long been engaged in a “merry war” of words with Leonato’s niece, Beatrice.  Another soldier, the young Claudio, finds himself drawn to Leonato’s daughter Hero, and soon decides to marry her.  Before long two plans are hatched – one innocent, the other insidious.  The soldiers and members of Leonato’s family joyfully plot to get Benedick and Beatrice to give in to their attraction to each other. Meanwhile, Don Pedro’s villainous brother, Don Pedro, plots to convince Claudio that Hero has been unfaithful – devastating the young soldier, and ruining his intended bride.  

The concept, direction, costume design, set, and lighting of this production are fabulous.  Dylan Kussman’s direction keeps the comedy light and fun, while also allowing the audience to sit with the darker elements of the plot. Deciding to set the show in 1918 allows for a fantastic pastiche of the era’s music – and some very clever use of a camera which allows us to truly see things from Beatrice’s point of view. I was quite taken with Keri Thomas’ costume designs – especially for Beatrice and Ursula. Everything from the soldier’s uniforms to the clownish garb of the constable Dogberry and his assistant were clearly designed and assembled with love for these characters and their time. Jeremy Campbell’s set and lighting design are absolutely delicious – maybe one of the most beautiful sets I have seen at the Theatre Centre. It all comes together to create a wonderfully warm and inviting world for these characters to inhabit – and for us, as an audience, to visit.

The cast, which has some familiar faces from last season’s Twelfth Night, handles Shakespeare’s language beautifully – letting the poetry and prose shine, while never sacrificing physical drama or humor. Derrick Raley is an affable and enjoyable Don Pedro, and his characterization makes it easy to understand why his soldiers would spend their leave with him.  Jamie Lopez’s Don John, on the other hand, is suitably filled with spite and malice. Doing his dirty work are Christian Smith and Hunter Rodgers as Borachio and Conrade – and though they are responsible for truly terrible things, they are thoroughly hilarious (and dare I say loveable?) rogues. Their scenes with the hysterical Dogberry and Verges are among the show’s most comedic moments.  Rocky Resha as Dogberry and Wes Phinney as Verges are clearly having a blast as the buffoonish lawmen – I could see them doing quite well with other comedic duos such as Hamlet’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, or Vladimir and Estragon of Waiting for Godot. The role of the friar may be small, but Diego Morales has some very nice moments in the role – especially when making the case for Hero’s innocence.

The house of Leonato is in fine form under the governance of Stan Lane. I was particularly impressed by the sense of betrayal, rage, and dejection he was able to convey in the scene where Leonato responds to the accusations made against his daughter.  Lindsey Wills, as Hero, is both lovely and sweet – and is heartbreaking as she desperately defends her own honor.  Her handmaids – Margaret and Ursula are both wonderfully brought to life by Jeni Bee and Bekah Frampton Griggs. Griggs is especially effective in a musical performance of Shakespeare’s “Hey Nonny Nonny” that is a highlight of the show. Matthew Kodsi is every benevolent and waggish Italian uncle as Anotonio and brought a wonderful sense of character to the show.

I was thrilled to see that Kim Jackson would be playing Beatrice.  I so enjoyed her performance as Olivia in Twelfth Night and suspected that her Beatrice would be just as wonderful – and I was correct. Jackson is a skilled interpreter of Shakespeare and it's wonderful to hear his words spoken with such ease and grace. While I was prepared to fall for Jackson’s Beatrice – I was very happy to find myself thoroughly impressed with two new actors on the Theatre Centre’s stage.  Matt Reiter, as Benedick, is absolutely charming and is able to match wits with Beatrice in what amounts to verbal tennis matches.  Shakespearean comedies can be difficult – not only do you have the language to master, but you have to do it while also maintaining your comedic timing.  Reiter is able to do both admirably and I really enjoyed his performance. Maverick Murray’s Claudio was perhaps my favorite character – which has not typically been true when I have seen Much Ado in other productions. I tend to find Claudio to be gullible and quick to judge, and quite hard to forgive.  Murray brings so much emotion to their performance, however, that I found myself really heartbroken by the character.  For the first time I saw how young and passionate Claudio is – full of tremendous love…and jealousy.  I look forward to seeing both Matt Reiter and Maverick Murray in future shows.

If your only exposure to Shakespeare was those long ago assignments in high school, do yourself and favor and go see just how wonderfully funny his comedy can be.  If you are already a fan of the Bard, then this show is certainly one you won’t want to miss.  I can’t think of a better way to usher in the warmth of spring than spending an evening watching some of Shakespeare’s greatest characters romp through a lovely Italian village.  I dare say you will be hard pressed to find a more clever and attractive production any time soon.

Before I begin discussing CTC’s current production, I want to provide those of you who have not been willingly exposed to Shakespeare or otherwise force-fed from a college professor with a tip that I found to be helpful and ultimately led me to enjoying William Shakespeare. For the record, I am, by no means, a Shakespeare expert. I offer this opinion only as an audience member and as one who occasionally faces the audience. 

To be a fan of Shakespeare, or not to be a fan: that is the question. Admittedly, I myself did not grow up as a fan of Shakespeare. In fact, my opinion of him rivaled that of Nick Bottom’s lament. When I returned to school as an adult learner to finish my degree, you can imagine my reaction when I saw that I was now being required to take an entire class just on Shakespeare! Amongst the required reading were his works: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard II, Othello, King Lear, and The Tempest. 

When I was studying, the secret for me unlocking an appreciation for Shakespeare was to listen to it being read dramatically WHILE I was reading along. I found myself quickly being able to translate what was actually being said and what was happening. I say “translate” because people just don’t talk like that anymore. After the first few minutes of listening to Midsummer, my brain converted to the old English and I was able to understand and enjoy the story. After the first one, I went back and WATCHED it and realized that this was a breakthrough. I dove into the works that followed and while some of the bard’s works are regarded more highly than others, I finally understood the appeal. If you were wondering, my favorite one was Othello. 

As I read through the statement from the director, Dylan Kussman, in the playbill for Much Ado, he expressed exactly what I had experienced in my brief study!  He said, “There’s only so much you can get from looking at the words on a page. It’s only when those words are rendered by a human voice that they start to signify anything, and only when performers start saying them as living breathing people on a stage that their full power becomes apparent.”

Shakespeare’s plays are incredibly flexible, which is one of the reasons his work has had such longevity. It has been adapted, modernized, and produced in hundreds of films and stage versions and has even been animated (Lion King = Hamlet-ish). This allows it to jump seamlessly into various time periods from medieval to modern day, giving directors a long leash with which to work. 

Kussman has chosen World War I as the setting for his vision of Much Ado. When I heard this was the setting, I was intrigued, myself having recently been in a musical production set during the same period titled, All Is Calm. The heartfelt stories and letters that came from the tragedy of the Great War struck a chord with me and I felt called to peek back into that world again. 

I am a visual person. Most times I do not like walking into the house to see a closed curtain. One of my favorite things to do when I take my seat for a show at CTC is to absorb the entirety of the set, down to the smallest detail that I can spot. Sometimes there are “Easter eggs” or hidden references to other things. Maybe an inside joke or a nod to another show. Maybe it’s a newspaper with a funny headline that only a few notice. 

There was no closed curtain and the set which stood before me was simply gorgeous. It was rich with rustic colors and depth and was a visual smorgasbord for the eyes. Scenic and Lighting Designer Jeremy Campbell’s work is always high quality and with Adam Miecielica’s team, they always bring it to life in authentic fashion.

If you have read my work before, you will know that I don’t like spoilers, especially after that whole section about learning to appreciate Shakespeare. I want you to hear it and see it for yourself. I will include some story tidbits however, these actors have spent weeks committing some of the most tedious text to memory, and then giving it a voice and a face, so I like to review their highlights and their work. After all, they're the ones you’re going to see. 

We meet Beatrice, (played by CTC Executive Director Kim Jackson), a beautiful, intelligent, independent, and quick-witted woman who does not pull punches with her opinions. She has little tolerance for men, especially those without beards. Jackson’s Beatrice also has a softer, playful side but quickly turns puerile upon proximity to Benedick. She is a fiercely loyal friend and a repressed romantic. Her opening peaceful village stroll is soon trod upon by the triumphant return of Don Pedro and his soldiers, one of whom is Benedick.

Don Pedro (Derrick Raley) and his troops (I suppose “troupe” would have worked), arrive and they are greeted by their benevolent Leonato, portrayed by the incomparable Stan Lane. As with any role in which I have seen him, Lane always has an authoritative and regal presence on the stage. As the host of the weary soldiers, he opens his home and pours out hospitality to the men. He is accompanied by his daughter, Hero, (Lindsey Wills) a beautiful young maiden, waiting to be courted by a suitable suitor and observing the newly arrived guests. 

Derrick Raley as Pedro brings a great warmth and father-like air with him into every scene as he interacts with each character. Don Pedro is wise, discerning, and an honorable romantic. The soldiers are dismissed but one stays behind to verbally joust with the disrupted Beatrice.

Beatrice’s “nemesis” is Benedick, portrayed by Matt Reiter. Benedick is a carefree bachelor and is proud of it, invoking the worst of punishments on himself, should he ever be accused of being in love or getting married. He takes his pride a step further by mocking the men that do fall into such a “trap”. His banter with Beatrice is razor sharp, poetic, and delightful and she dishes it out as well as he does. Reiter, a musician, is fantastic as Benedick plays the piano and attempts to write poetry for Beatrice. Reiter has a delightful sense of comedic timing as he works through each scene. 

Their banter being concluded for now, and Benedick’s seeming disdain for nuptials having been articulated beyond doubt, a mischievous twinkle appears in the eye of Don Pedro, as he and Claudio devise a plan to test Benedick’s resolve. Meanwhile, Claudio (Maverick Murray) , having already met the mesmerizing Hero, has become enamored with her. Don Pedro, seeing his companions yearning, offers to play wingman to Claudio and devises a matchmaking plan with Claudio and Leonato to see Hero and Claudio united. 

Beatrice, much like Benedick, having made her own loathing of men abundantly clear, was overheard by Hero and her lady-in-waiting, Ursula (Bekah Frampton Griggs). Hero takes it upon herself and recruits Urusla to also test the resolve of Beatrice. Another matchmaking plan is born.

Ah…a plan. Mike Tyson is credited with saying that “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” There are several punches to the face of these plans in the form of other characters:

Their names are Borachio, Conrade, and Don John. 

Don John (Jamie Lopez) is the angry, resentful, and bitter ringleader and quickly decides to disrupt Don Pedro’s plans. Lopez’s Don John is spot on as I found myself immediately full of dislike for him. Lopez is passionate in his role, embracing being the bad guy and evoking the anger from the audience. 

Margaret, (Jeni Bee) a close confidant of Hero and Ursula gets unwittingly roped into the evil scheme by Borachio. Margaret is sweet and loyal and you hate to see her being manipulated. Antonio (Matthew Kodsi) is the loyal uncle to Hero and also contributes to the confusion when he hears part of Don Pedro’s plans.

Borachio (Christian Smith) and Conrade (Hunter Rodgers) would be lovable if they weren’t trying to interfere with Cupid’s minions. They commit to help their leader, Don John, with his nefarious plan. Still, you cannot help but laugh and enjoy these characters as Smith and Rodgers both perform brilliantly in comedic fashion as the frequently intoxicated duo. Don’t take your eyes off of the fountain….

There are so many brilliant moments throughout this show and I always love sharing the things that were highlights for my experience:

Verges (Wes Phinney) and Dogberry (Rocky Resha) were simply hysterical as the bumbling constables. Dogberry is boisterous, over the top, endearingly dumb, and simply perfect. His beard is legendary and given Beatrice’s affinity for men with beards, it’s a wonder she never noticed him. Verges is the sidekick to Dogberry and is as deaf as a post.

Claudio made me laugh out loud when he did this thing with his eyebrow. 

One of the more delightful scenes was as Hero and Ursula lay their love trap for Beatrice. I’ll just say that it won’t leave you hangin’.

There is actual music in this wonderful show, not in the form of tracks but in music composed and written by the cast members. In addition to the tickling of the ivories by Matt Reiter throughout, Bekah Frampton Griggs has an incredible voice and has a moment to shine that simply hypnotized the audience like a siren, and then released them so they could applaud. Christian Smith (Borachio) arranged this song. Jeni Bee also wrote her own music which was performed as a duet with Bekah Frampton Griggs that was simply heavenly. To say this cast is multi-talented is an understatement. 

CTC’s production of Much Ado About Nothing is a charming delight where wit and warmth collide and proves that love and laughter still steal the show. If one has never seen Shakespeare on the stage, Much Ado is a great “first show” for exposure to his work. My exhortation to you is this: Don’t stop there. Explore his other plays and watch them. His work is timeless and the dialogue is so poetic. It only takes one show to get you hooked. Don’t be such a Nick Bottom.