Sock ‘n’ Buskin Theatre Company showcases their latest production, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in the thematic background of 1970s Canada.
The story centers around two pairs of lovers united through gossip and lies in a comedy that combines lighthearted moments with deep reflections about sexism and trust.
The talented four leads bring life and comedy to the play. Rachel Stanley (Beatrice), Nicholas Hepner (Benedick), Emily Wilson (Hero) and Thomas Williams (Claudio) pull out great performances all around.
Of special note is Stanley, who expertly portrays her character’s sass while also delivering a heart-wrenching scene in which she angrily reflects on her position in society.
Hepner served as a great foil to her antics with his extremely formal way of speaking covering up an underlying sense of loneliness.
Wilson and Williams, on the other hand, play the more straightforward couple, whose interactions recall old-timey romantic soap operas without looking too cheesy to treat seriously.
The supporting cast did not stray far behind, with noteworthy performances such as Sheldon Parathundyil’s portrayal of Benedick’s friend Don Pedro, whose charisma shines in every scene he’s part of.
Another highlight is Jeffrey Wu and Victoria Ricciardelli’s buddy cop duo, who, alongside Keara Williams (Constable Dogberry), make up for a comedic group that parodies old exploitation films.
It is also worth pointing out that even though there were some cast members who portrayed multiple roles, they managed to keep those characters distinct enough to not let that take away from the play experience.
On a more technical side, the costumes were accurate with the time and looked like they were actually vintage clothing.
Adding to this is the scene design, with some well-done sets that fit the main location: a vacation house in Muskoka.
One set in particular is noteworthy: a bedroom filled with posters of pop culture icons. It makes one wonder on how much yet how little has changed in lifestyles through the years.
Scene transitions, on the other hand, were done fairly quickly, adorned with music from Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson, among other 70s icons, and any occasional accident that occurred during changing sets was barely noticeable and did not affect the show.
There was an issue however, that might affect newcomers to Shakespeare and theatre in general.
During the first 10 to 15 minutes of the play, most of the cast was delivering their lines at what seemed like too fast a pace.
This could set a problem with getting to know the characters and their motivations, taking some time for audience members to get invested. Hopefully, this can get addressed on future dates.
In the end, Sock ‘n’ Buskin’s Much Ado About Nothing serves as an example that old tales can become new again with some tweaking and fresh ideas.
The sheer amount of passion and effort that the company has put into this production certainly seems to have paid off.
Provided by Natascha Sekerinski
