THE JUSTICE | TUESDAY, march 12, 2013
21
Theater
COMEDIC COLLISION: Hold Thy Piece’s production of Much Ado About Nothing combined classic Shakespeare and 90s culture. OLIVIA POBIEL/the Justice
Shakespeare flashes forward to the ’90s By JESSIE MILLER justice EDITOR
My first introduction into the befuddling words of Shakespeare was Romeo and Juliet in my freshman year of high school; whether it was the teacher’s fault or the text’s, I was not entertained by the Shakespearean language, confusing plot twists and dramatic characters. So while finding my seat in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater, I nervously awaited the start of Much Ado About Nothing, the 25th production of Hold Thy Peace. Holding true to HTP tradition of remixing Shakespearean classics, the play was reinvented by directors Aaron Fischer ’15 and Ryan Kacani ’15 with a ’90s spin, featuring pop culture and music references that evoked fond memories of my childhood. After giving the usual spiel about turning off cell phones (and pagers) at the start of the show, the cast set the theme for the play by transforming the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song into a lip-
synched classically composed song. It was both funny and set the perfect tone for the rest of the upcoming ’90s references. The plot centers on a conflict between good and evil, with the play’s villain attempting to ruin the marriage of her enemy. In this modern adaptation, there are two basketball teams, who, after the “good guys” win the game, go over to Leonato’s (Ben Federlin ’14) home in Beverly Hills to celebrate the Y2K New Year. Led by Coach Don Pedro (Andrew Prentice ’13), the team of Benedick (Alex Davis ’15) and Claudio (Martin Hamilton ’16) beat Don John (Emily Duggan ’15), Pedro’s sister and her henchmen Conrade (Brian Dorfman ’16) and Borachio (Stephen Cadigan ’13). The sibling rivalry between Don Pedro and Don John, the princes of Aragon, is the chief catalyst of the plot when Don John decides to take revenge against Claudio, the star player. Upon arriving at Leonato’s house, they are introduced to his daughter,
Hero (Sari Holt ’15) and niece, Beatrice (Samantha LeVangie ’15), for whom Benedick is already said to have a taunting, unfulfilled love. Claudio soon falls for Hero, thus setting up the perfect way for Don John to take her revenge—tear the two lovers apart. Duggan is absolutely perfect in her role as a creepy, slightly disturbing villain who is constantly clutching a little stuffed kitten, stroking her beloved companion and even appearing to whisper in its ear. Cadigan is equally hilarious as a typical ’90s stoner character—think films such as Half Baked and Jay and Silent Bob—as he does the bidding of his boss, including eavesdropping, surveillance and a deceptive set-up to trick Claudio. As for the good guys, Davis’ performance was absolutely captivating; his animated expressions and embodiment of the bachelor-turned-lover Benedick were incredible. In every scene, as if the other characters were there to enhance his performance and their interactions made his character
stand out even more. During any moments while lounging on the couch or talking to other characters, he would gnaw on a Fruit Roll-up—a classic ’90s staple snack—or hiding behind a pillow while listening in on a conversation. Yet, these silly antics transitioned smoothly into his more romantic role with LeVangie, who was equally enchanting. As the headstrong and independent Beatrice, she is fierce yet relatable. She and Davis have the perfect chemistry as a couple that moves from a taunting, sarcastic flirtation into marriage. Every scene they were in together was, without question, a highlight of the play. Holt’s performance as Hero seemed unimpressive in the first few scenes, but once the set transitioned into Hero’s bedroom, she commanded the stage. I also particularly enjoyed the copious ’90s material pop culture throwbacks in her room, including a Furby toy, Star Wars and Backstreet Boys posters, Plank from the cartoon
Ed, Edd n Eddy and a lava lamp. Also, when she and Claudio were about to get married, a few lines of “Wonderwall” by Oasis were played, one of the many songs from the ’90s that was featured in the show. Butler Godfrey (Miriam Goldman ’14) sang a short, comedic rendition of Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time.” They also played various songs, including my personal favorites “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls and “She’s So High” by Tal Bachman, during set changes. Combining Much Ado About Nothing with ’90s pop culture, despite the nearly three hour run time, was a fantastic idea and HTP did an excellent job transforming the classic play into a more accessible and humorous production. As someone who has no taste for Shakespeare, I’ve gained more respect for the wit and timeless themes that the plays contain. Though unexpected, I thoroughly enjoyed spending my Saturday night in a time warp back to my childhood memories while also exploring a literary classic.
OLIVIA POBIEL/the Justice
MINIONS: Borachio (Stephen Cadigan ’13) entertains as Don John’s sly assistant.
ABBY KNECHT/the Justice
MATRIMONY MADNESS: Hero and Claudio’s wedding was the victim of a villain’s plot.
ABBY KNECHT/the Justice
UNLIKELY LOVERS: Alex Davis ’15 and Samantha LeVangie ’15 portrayed the perfect amount of chemistry as Benedick and Beatrice.