From Old English to flapper dresses, TheatreMcLean’s Much Ado About Nothing was a play that spanned centuries. Combining the 16th, 20th, and 21st century, the show was a delightful blend of elements from each era. The mix of Shakespearean dialogue with 1920s style costumes and set told a timeless story of love, betrayal, and secrecy.
The dichotomy of the time periods made Much Ado About Nothing a visual and auditory feast. However, pulling off such a feat was not an easy task. Both the cast and crew worked after school for hours on end during the months leading up to the play, trying to channel the 1920s time period and still do the original play justice.
“The problem became that our director was saying this is gonna be a jazzy, cool, laid back 1920s [play]. But then we all started pretending to be cool, smoking the fake cigarettes, and then [the audience] couldn’t follow along with the show,” said senior Jack Abba, who played Benedick. “We had to maneuver, how to balance the actual story with pretending to be cool.”
Abba not only played a leading role in the production, but was also one of the creative masterminds behind the set. The set was one of the most elaborate parts of the show, featuring the back of a European mansion, massive staircase, balcony, and a stunning mock-marble statue with sprawling vines running across each piece.
“A lot of other sets for Much Ado About Nothing … have a very Mediterranean style,” Abba said. “So I blended the Gatsby, rich American feel with a Mediterranean sandstone and red clay tiles.”
Design was only one element in building the set. The crew spent weeks perfecting it, building it almost entirely from scratch.
“We built a 16 flight staircase, … used four by eight and four by four platforms [to construct] a real doorway, and on top of that [built] a second floor,” said senior technology director Alessandro Martinat. “It’s been a really hard project.”
Perhaps the highlight of the set was the working water fountain that was planted in the middle of the stage. The physical piece paired with the sound effect of running water created a truly immersive experience for the audience.
“Once we added [the fountain] to the set, it added a sort of clockwork feel where characters revolved around the fountain, even falling into it, which gave a really cool flow to it,” Abba said.
Most notably, in a scene with Beatrice, played by senior Arielle Else, she fell into the fountain and dramatically re-entered the scene. There was no doubt that Else kept the audience entertained as she poured her heart out into her performance, going as far as to spit water out of her mouth.
Alongside Else, Abba played her love interest. The characters held many personal and intimate scenes with one another. The duo’s connection was undeniable, perfectly embodying Shakespearean romance.
“We had intimacy choreography which is where you choreograph stuff like moving in for a kiss… it’s exactly as awkward as it sounds,” Abba said.
Much Ado About Nothing is not only a love story, but a romantic comedy, including many jokes and forms of physical comedy. Senior Charlotte Carson, playing Dogberry, drove this home, engaging and prompting laughs from the audience from the moment she stepped on stage. Carson played a kazoo to a jaunty tune throughout the show, which reflected her boisterous, strong-willed character.
Leonato, played by senior Wyatt Lahr, was another great addition to the cast, expertly contorting his facial features to play his comedic father-figure role.
“I watched the Wolf of Wall Street four times [in preparation]. Other than that, I really tried to [envision] how a dad would act,” Lahr said.
Each cast member’s dedication to their role brought TheatreMcLean Director Philip Reid’s vision to life. It was a full circle moment for Reid as he brought the show to a new generation of actors.
“I always wanted to do Shakespeare because it was my first professional gig outside of college,” Reid said. “I have a really strong connection to it [and] I really enjoy it … Shakespeare has stories that a lot of students can access.”
