Queensland Theatre Company’s modern retelling of the classic (and arguably the first ever) rom-com Much Ado About Nothing makes for a fun and engaging night of entertainment. The production is one of many taking place all over the world this year in celebration of the 400^th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. Much Ado is one of the bard’s most enduring comedies, and that’s probably partly due to the fact it’s still incredibly relatable. The “battle of the sexes” which is so central to the plot remains as relevant a perspective on love and relationships as it was four centuries ago. For the uninitiated, Much Ado pits men against women in a plot to help the central characters find love, with plenty of mischief making along the way. Usually the play has around 20 actors, but for this production roles have been amalgamated and changed to fit a cast of only 11.

Ellen Bailey’s Hero is the perfect blushing bride-to-be, though is at her most vibrant when the men are away and she gets to have fun with her cousin and maids. Likewise Patrick Dwyer plays the lovestruck Claudio so well it’s almost difficult to admonish him for being so easily mislead by the not-quite-so-villainous Don John (it’s still unclear why he was so camp). Christen O’Leary and Hugh Parker bring the quarrelsome Beatrice and Benedick to life with apparent ease, though their character’s bickering and exaggerated banter does have a tendency to become wearisome. But the best performances and biggest laughs certainly go to Liz Buchanan and Megan Shorey for their portrayal of Dogberry and Verges respectively. In particular, the scene where the two hugely incompetent officers of the law interrogate Borachio (played by an equally hilarious Mark Conaghan sans trousers) is a standout.

For this production Shakespeare’s world has been reimagined as a kind of tropical paradise, with a simple yet elegant rotating set featuring a luxurious beach house. The revolving scene is divided with shuttered windows, which are frequently used for comic effect. While the main dialogue takes place on one side, characters can be seen spying through the blinds, ducking for cover whenever they fear being spotted. Slapstick humour is a huge part of this play, though with this rendition at times it does feel like the actors are going to particular pains to remind everyone they’re supposed to be laughing. On occasion their self-awareness does become a little tedious, even Beatrice and Benedick, who are both supposed to pride themselves on their own cleverness, overdo it in places. It’s not enough to make the play less enjoyable, but there is a sense that at any minute one of the actors is going to break the fourth wall and announce to the crowd how great the joke they’ve just made is.

Music is central to this adaption, arranged by Gordon Hamilton who takes the whole ‘modern’ thing quite literally. The sparkly cocktail party version of Outkast’s Heya is particularly memorable, as are the Single Ladies/Beyonce references woven into the script. All of the cast deliver their lines with excellent skill which allows the production to flow and gives the audience the opportunity to focus on the action without getting too caught up in the words. The final poignant look from Hero at the end of the play hints at the tragedy that could have unfolded if events had gone another way, but lucky for us, Shakespeare must have been in a good mood when he was writing Much Ado and instead all the characters end up unscathed and the audience can depart in high spirits. 

- Clare Armstrong