University of Adelaide Theatre Guild. Little Theatre. 7 May 2015
You could be forgiven for thinking - upon entering the familiar stalls of the Little Theatre - that you are taking a seat in an Italian garden. Under Mediterranean lighting, the unfriendly bricks are disguised with something like a veneer of Mt Gambier Limestone blocks and the balcony is lined with a pleasingly proportioned balustrade. The balustrade motif is also manifested as a realistic shadow along the two stairs. The coup de grâce (or in this case, the coup de grass) is that the entire floor space is covered by artificial turf gratefully gifted by Termi Turf (set design: uncredited).
But director Megan Dansie has eschewed Sicily's Messina in Shakespeare's script to instead set the action at Lenato's mansion called "Messina" somewhere in England just after WWII, so the place is crawling with servicemen and aristocratic officers. Of course, General Patton and later Field Marshal Montgomery took Messina off the Krauts in 1943 - that might have done the trick. The conceit didn't really further the action, but it certainly provided a great excuse to have lots of handsome men preen about in authentically tailored military uniforms complete with insignia ranks and the right haircuts. Bravo! (costume design: B G Henry-Edwards).
The student-rich audience, of course, knew the plot. Claudio falls for Hero. At their wedding, Claudio accuses Hero of infidelity. Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice exchange rapid-fire quips and puns, and the conspiracy to have them match up reaches its conclusion around the time Don John's mischief is exposed and the Claudio/Hero thing is on again. Touted as a comedy, Dansie also digs deep to comment on contemporary themes including sexism, honour killings, and dating.
The director's second job after getting the gig is to cast wisely, and Dansie has supported herself well, and especially so for such a large cast. The older cohort of familiars comprising Tony Busch and Gary George had the right combination of officer class and sensitivity.
Lindsay Dunn, as head of the thematically correct Home Guard, was very funny mixing his metaphors and murdering the King's English. Brad Martin as the villain Don John (interestingly, the bad guys were in RAF greys, and the good guys from the army) played a part of few words with a devilishly sly mode of expression.
Love leads Alex Antoniou and Olivia Lilburn as Claudio and Hero looked a perfect match - youthful and vibrant. Adam Tuominen was a dashing Benedick - debonair, confident, yet suddenly vulnerable at a moment. Most of those moments were created by Beatrice. Bronwyn Palmer in this role brought a huge dose of natural ease, including a song and accompanying herself on the ukulele. This aplomb is no doubt earned through her voice training at the Elder Conservatorium and performing in her one-woman show at this year's Fringe with the unselfconscious title of My Breasts and Me. All other parts were played well and even better.
The double wedding dance ending the show was a merry mix of Medieval and modern movements that was both cute and naff. The Time Warp and Thriller came to mind (choreography: Lauren Scarfe).
The other production values that I haven't mentioned were also of a very high standard. Costumier Henry-Edwards had excellent frocks and 40s hair for the ladies, and Hero's brief scene in a wedding dress would have made any parent proud and groom blush. Richard Parkhill's lighting often had that ephemeral quality of light filtering through autumn leaves while Mark Reynolds's soundscape invoked even suspense. Dansie had the troupe move on and off stage with drill hall precision. Yet, for all this goodness, there is that last few percent of giving that gets ungiven. The key relationships of Beatrice and Benedick, and Hero and Claudio, didn't quite have that crackle that makes you barrack for them, that makes you indignant on seeing an injustice, and compels your heart to cheer when love is in the air. For me, it was just nearly there.
Megan Dansie has built a well-deserved and recognised reputation with Shakespeare and other productions in recent years and this is yet another success. A strong cast and compelling production values in an accessible Shakespeare is once again on offer.
David Grybowski
When: 2 to 16 May
Where: Little Theatre
Bookings: trybooking.com
