Much Ado About Nothing | Stratford-upon-Avon, Part 2

| Or, as this production by the Royal Shakespeare Company was called: Love's Labour's Won |

• Here are my travel journal notes after seeing the performance on March 14.

A Poster in Marelybone Station: Edward Bennett as Benedick
and Michelle Terry as Beatrice.

 Now I shall wax eloquent on the play and my opinions of it. First, the acting. It dawned on me that Much Ado About Nothing is very much an ensemble performance. I've always considered Beatrice and Benedick to be the stars, and they could be given that title in this play, but they are not starring roles in the same way that a Hamlet or a Rosalind is. A majority of the story is about Hero and Claudio, even though those two characters don't say comparatively much. I think it is just that Beatrice and Benedick are just so un-missable and entertaining that they overwhelm one's memory after watching the play, and you come away being more delighted with those two than with all the rest. That is simply in the power of the roles themselves, and no matter who plays the parts they would make that impression.

 Having said all that I cannot deny that Michelle Terry and Edward Bennett brought these roles to life with fiery energy! She was simply bursting with it! She ran, she danced, she sobbed, and every line was as full of different tones, volumes and rhythms as a symphony. You never knew what was coming!

I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior Benedick, nobody marks you.

What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living? 

Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick?

Courtesy itself must convert to disdain if you come in her presence.

Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted;

and I would I could find it in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly, I love none.

A dear happiness to women. They would else have been troubled by a pernicious suitor.

I thank God and my cold blood I am of your humor for that. I would rather hear my dog

bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.

God keep your ladyship still in that mind, so that some gentleman or other shall 'scape a

predestinate scratched face.

Scratching could not make it worse an 'twere such a face as yours were.

That contrasted with him delivering his lines in a quick, snappy and getting-the-last-word-in style. Although his face could be as energetic as her running about, and his well timed pauses accompanied by a very expressive look always set the audience laughing. The best one was when he was reading his attempt at a romantic poetic composition. He read the first two lines quite undramatically, which itself made the audience laugh.

The god of love

Who sits above...

But then he stopped and gave us such a scorching look that we laughed even harder. And of course his holding the look longer only made things worse...

And knows me, and knows me,

How pitiful I deserve --

One of the show's best scenes was Benedick overhearing Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato talking of Beatrice's "love" for him - from the time he enters to his exit it may have been the best. He hid behind the curtains, the Christmas tree, in the tree, and poked out his head at the most hilarious moments - or, as he did once, began walking out. The climax was the toast to close the conference, and Benedick stuck his hand out with a glass in it from inside the tree and Leonato filled it without blinking an eye. Then, once alone, he emerges from the tree all disheveled and covered in pine needles, with an ornament hanging from his head, and says in the most touching way that her love "must be requited" - as if hearing of her love is deep down what he has always hoped for, and now he is free to release his own love for her that he has had pent up in his own heart.

Love me? Why, it must be requited. I hear how I am censured. They say I will bear myself proudly

if I see the love come from her. They say, too, that she will rather die than give any sign of affection.

I never did think to marry.

Both of them made their love for each other very touching, as if they were willing to become vulernable to each other once they were aware of the other's love. So sweet!

You have stayed me in a happy hour. I was about to protest I loved you.

And do it with all thy heart.

I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.

Every actor was good, and one I always looked forward to seeing on the stage was Claudio. He brought a lot of subtle emotion to what could be a two-dimensional character. When he began to cry at Hero's 'tomb' tears came to my eyes, too.

Done to death by slanderous tongues
Was the Hero that here lies.
Death, in guerdon of her wrongs,
Gives her fame which never dies.
So the life that died with shame
Lives in death with glorious fame.

 Done to death by slanderous tongues

Was the Hero that here lies.

Death, in guerdon of her wrongs

Gives her fame that never dies.

So the life that died with shame

Lives in death with glorious fame.

The inquest with Dogberry made Mom and I laugh til tears were poring down our cheeks and I could barely breathe! It was supposed to be a tiny room, so when the sexton was attempting to leave by walking around the table there was no room around Dogberry. So they all lifted up the table to turn it, but all they really ended up doing was turning all the way around to exactly where it (and they) started, and the sexton still couldn't get out.

Master constable, let these men be bound and brought to Leonato's. 

I will go before and show him these examinations.

Come, let them be opinioned. 

The RSC stage set for the first scene!

The sets were stunning! One part was a floor and a back wall that both slid all the way to the back of the stage, revealing another floor with a great square in the center that would change by sinking down one floor and then raising up another with varying sets on it from underneath the stage, such as a grassy lawn, the sexton's quarters or Hero's dressing table. 

The costumes were excellent, very 1918. We were seated along the wall on the ground level, and next time I'd prefer to be closer to get a sharper view of their faces, but we did have a nice and almost straight forward view.

We're ready! And the performance exceeded my expectations. Brilliant!