Much Ado 2

Shakespeare's comics can be very tricky to get right. They were clearly written for a well loved company of actors with their own idiosyncrasies who the audiences found howlingly funny. Well to us they are often not funny at all, but this time we get lucky in the lanky shape of John Cariani as Dogberry, who leads his gormless team of Watchmen with joyous incompetance. [as Watchperson, I hasten to add, not as actor].

I have often wondered why that sort of glorious mangling of the language is called “Malapropisms” rather than “Dogberryisms”. Shakespeare certainly got there first.

Here also are pics of Georgia Hatzis as Beatrice winding up Benedick, [Jonno Roberts], Winslow Corbett as the enchanting, put-apon Hero, and Adrian Sparks who does another Shakespearean Papa with great gusto. Ryman Sneed is just right as Margaret.