Categories: theatre
Date: 10 February 2008 03:29:14
The rain did clear, so a small, but hardy, group of people, including me, showed up for last night's performance of Much Ado About Nothing as part of the Sydney Shakespeare Festival. As the commenters on the post below indicated, Much Ado About Nothing is a great play.
Smudgie made mention below that she was definitely not experiencing envy as "it's warm enough in Australia for an open-air performance": I'd hold that thought. It was cold. Very cold. Especially as the rain made two intrusions during the performance. I did get rather wet, being a man of simple brains and not thinking to take an umbrella. My backside was also wet, as I bought towels [which soaked the water up and then transferred it to my rear]. Oh well. Heaven knows how I get through each day. A very kind staff member, who noticed during the intermission my jeans were rather damp, gave me a garbage bag and lent me a dry towel: and she also raced down with an umbrella for me when some heavy rain started. Full marks to the support staff!
On to the play. Well, first, what a setting: Bicentennial Park at Glebe, along the foreshore and with the Anzac Bridge and City in the background. Wow.
Second: the actual play. That Shakespeare fellow sure could write. A fantastic comedy, with a great many laughs, fascinating and amusing characters, and an interesting [and zany] storyline.
Finally: the cast: superb. The actress playing Beatrice in particular was a delight, but, truly, they were all magnificent. They all appeared to relish their roles, and played them up for all they were worth: and full marks for doing so in the coolish weather -- and the rain when it came.
This particular performance has its three final shows next weekend [and one tonight if you rush there now!] -- I heartily recommend it.