It’s almost thirty years since Dan Meigh got Off The Ground Theatre, well, up and running, and there is much to be excited about with this production of one of Shakespeare’s funniest pieces, full of delightful word play and it is often wondered whether it is the missing Love’s Labour’s Won, the latter half of a comic double bill with Love’s Labour Lost.
In post-war Messina, the home of Leonato (Ben Currie) with daughter Hero (Sarah Elise France) and cousin Beatrice (Kathy McGurk) ever present, Prince Don Pedro (Phil Rayner) leads the returning soldiers which include his illegitimate brother Don John (Chloe Hughes), Claudio (Tyler Clark), and Benedick (Connor Wray), and it is with some inevitability that Claudio is drawn to Hero as much as Benedick and Beatrice are apparently not. But the jealous, and perhaps shell-shocked, Don John is unhappy with his lot in life, and sets out to turn the tables on rival Claudio with the assistance of Borachio (Joe Stott) and Conrad (William Belchambers). With everyone pre-occupied with the forthcoming nuptials, will master constable Dogberry (Kayleigh Coleman) and the nightwatch of Verges (Nathan Spence) and Hugh Otecake (Amy Hope-Thompson) manage to catch the culprits in action and report back in time to ensure a happy ending after all? It’s all twists and turns and the outcome will certainly not be what you are expecting.
Director Ben Newman has cleverly set the piece post Second World War providing some immediate parallels with the modern day’s cost of living crisis and the echoes of conflicts in the Ukraine and Middle East, and St Luke’s Bombed Out Church the ideal venue. Delightfully it also gives him the opportunity with the support of Movement Director Felipe Pacheco to introduce some well-choreographed musical pieces of the period which gets us in the mood from the very off and which are delivered with aplomb by the cast whose costumes reinforce the sense of place as the action unfolds.
As a touring production, there is the added challenge of changing venues, so the use of a centrally placed microphone and speakers was inspired for a city centre location that can on occasion be hindered by external noises. My only comment would be the use of the front step-down area to set much of the intimate action as the resulting restricted sightline made it difficult to appreciate the often-visual comic touches, whereas setting it back on to the slightly elevated dais would have overcome this.
In an overall strong production, all of the cast performed well, individually and as an ensemble, demonstrating great comic timing throughout. Stand out moments for me included Rayner, Currie, and Clark’s hilarious set up of Benedick, which was equally matched in turn by France and Hope-Thompson’s set up of Beatrice, and whilst Hughes and Stott served up some wicked villainy, Coleman, Spence, and Hope-Thompson’s nightwatch provided the perfect humorous foil.
Eyes are naturally drawn to the two leads who both excelled. McGurk’s Beatrice was delivered with a real edge which I enjoyed whilst Wray’s subtle breaking of the fourth wall throughout was testimony to his prowess. For a company that places much emphasis on drawing from its youth theatre, McGurk and Wray serve as perfect role models for what can be achieved.
Off The Ground Theatre is an exciting and accessible company performing up to ten productions a year, with Much Ado About Nothing currently touring the North-West, Wales, and Ireland. Further details https://www.offtheground.co.uk/
St Luke’s Bombed Out Church has very much risen from the ashes and is now an established venue for theatre, dance, and music as well as visual art and cinema in the heart of Liverpool. Further details https://www.slboc.com/
Reviewer: Mark Davoren
Reviewed: 1st August 2024
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 4 out of 5.
