I’ve seen several good productions of Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, but this year’s offering is the funniest yet. If you want to be rendered helpless with laughter, this is the must-see choice.
As directed by Miriam Laube, the production is bursting with highly original stage business performed to perfection by a stellar cast. The play follows the development of two romances. Beatrice and Benedict have verbally sparred with each other for years. They cherish their independent lives, she as a learned lady and he as an army officer, until friends and family convince them with trickery that they are ardently in love.
By contrast, Claudio, a young soldier, and a lovely young woman named Hero fall in love too quickly and plan to marry. The play will briefly turn serious toward the end, but meanwhile, John Tufts as Benedict, performs the funniest scene in the show with the help of a moveable hedge in the shape of a huge ball. It’s safe to say you’ve never seen anything like it.
Amy Kim Waschke as Beatrice is sensible, witty and approaching spinsterhood, which suits her just fine. Most of the cast members are Festival veterans who appear delighted to be working together.
Rex Young, the director’s husband in real life, provides silly fun as Constable Dogberry, a comic character who takes his job very seriously. Bradley James Tejeda, who portrays Shakespeare in another play this season, is a moody, confused Claudio. All of the performers, backed by a combo, sing and dance several spectacular musical numbers.
The 2024 Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Much Ado About Nothing is at the Allen Elizabethan Theatre through October 12, 2024.
