Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company at Sidney Harman Hall from Nov. 25, 2011 to Jan. 1, 2012, proved to be a play full of wit, magnetism, and enthusiasm. Directed by one of Washington DC’s most notable directors, Ethan McSweeny, Much Ado left its audience mesmerized. With a modern-day twang, the play was set in 1930’s Cuba on a sugar plantation, occupied by owner Leonato (Adrian Sparks,) his daughter Hero (Kate Hurster,) and her cousin Beatrice (well known actress Kathryn Meisle from Tartuffe, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice ) along with their many servants.  From the moment the play began, the audience was awed by the authenticity of the Cuban setting. Beginning with an introduction spoken in fluid Spanish, to the exotic flowers and real Cuban cigar smoke that periodically drifted throughout the theatre, the construction of the stage and manipulation of props was impeccable.  The bright, fresh colors of Cuba brought an injection of life into the classic drama, and played on the youthful and naïve tones of the plot. The finesse which with McSweeny managed to transform the stage from the predictable Sicily setting originally chosen by Shakespeare, to one that captivated its audience was commendable and appropriate for its modern day audience. Additionally, the inclusion of traditional Latin music and the unbelievably executed choreography also highlighted the legitimacy of the setting – the comedy was not quite a musical but just as exuberant.

The scenery was not the only attraction of the play – it was the talent present on the stage that made the performance one worth attending. Each actor, most notably Meisle and Derek Smith (who resembled a cleverer version of Seinfeld’s Kramer) were matched perfectly to their characters. The actors not only embodied their personas well, but also developed truly convincing relationships with the other characters that were present on stage as well. The audience was able to connect with the actors, and reacted with passion because they felt more involved with the action happening on the stage. A favored pair of the audience, Beatrice and Benedick performed with an attraction that was undeniable. Their constant banter and inexorable wittiness kept the audience awake and dying for more, as they followed the two’s journey from strained acquaintances to a love-struck pair. Smith and Meisle justly outdid themselves with their performance, and made their fights, jabs, and endearing moments insanely realistic.  The tragic love affair between the dainty Hero and her visiting soldier and fiancé, Claudio (Ryan Garbayo) also kept the audience on their feet, as they witnessed Claudio besmirch Hero’s honor after being lied to by the evil Don John – thus causing her to dramatically fake her own death.  The emotion that poured out of the affair was incredible; Hurster, although she had few lines, carried out her performance with grace and dignity – impersonating her character of Hero to a tee. The crowd also went wild whenever the characters of Verges (Floyd King) and Dogberry (Ted van Griethuysen) – two crazy old loons who were consistently bemused due to their gullibility and incompetence – stepped into a scene. The ‘special effects’ that these men brought to the stage were hilarious. At one point, (after having to support the weight of the hefty Dogberry,) King was able to redden his face to a color so deep, most thought he would actually turn purple and faint from exhaustion. Dogberry was also a riot – he strutted around almost indecently in his unsupportive pair of suspenders and made imbecilic remarks each time he stepped on stage. The extra foolishness that these geezers provided was the key to the audience’s heart, and they filled the theatre with merriment and laughter.

This joviality made its grand finale at the end of the play, when Claudio and Hero were reunited and Beatrice and Benedick, both originally adamant against the institution of marriage, realized that they, with their identical personalities, were meant for each other. The performance concluded with a festive wedding dance, in which the entire cast joined in, and danced and twirled in colorful costumes and lit-up faces. The exuberance and Latin verve that the actors were able to bring forth was what made Much Ado About Nothing so worthwhile, and its crowd left in high spirits, hungry for more.