Much Ado about Twelfth Night

September 6, 2014

Destination: Theatricum Botanicum, Topanga Canyon

Cost: $41.00 plus gas

(also:  August 24, 2014, Independent Shakespeare Company, Griffith Park, Cost: gas only)

Summer in SoCal is synonymous with Shakespeare. (Hope that’s enough alliteration for you.) At present, according to the Shakespeare in LA website, there are 25 bard-inspired productions currently playing or about to start.

I made the short trek to Topanga Canyon on a hot summer Saturday to see “Much Ado About Nothing” in the oak-shaded ravine that is home to Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum. I don’t know of a lovelier venue in the Southland and this troupe consistently produces shows of good quality.

“Much Ado” is a favorite of mine due to its feisty heroine, Beatrice – but this is a tricky role to animate with feeling. Susan Angelo was a capable physical comedienne and more than competent at Shakespearean wordplay. Robertson Dean’s Benedict stole my heart. This actor understands how to imbue rich Elizabethan language with feeling and blends a sense of the contemporary with Shakespearean style.

The production had the lightness of a gavotte, and was choreographed to utilize all areas of the expansive stage and chaparral covered hillside. The players were well cast, and only one actor fell in to the fake English accent trap that is so common in American classical performances.

The comedy in the Botanicum’s show was much gentler than that put forth by Independent Shakespeare’s Co.’s production of Twelfth Night in Griffith Park.  I saw this free performance two weeks ago and was delighted by the huge turnout and mix of attendees. This play is very special to me, as it’s the first show I directed when we started Sierra Classic Theatre in Mammoth Lakes fifteen years ago. Like Much Ado, Twelfth Night is driven by a dynamic heroine, Viola, who has a complex, modern personality.

Setting up for the Green Show in Griffith Park

The actresses in Twelfth Night were the weak link, however, with Kalean Ung’s Viola completely missing the mark. Her shouted, metered delivery - with accents in strange places - ruined the subtleties of a finely drawn character. There was no chemistry between the sets of lovers – and while the comedy worked as Countess Olivia falls in love with the young man Viola is impersonating, the feelings felt false.

What was brilliantly effective in this show was the broad vaudevillian comedy. Shakespearean clowns often fall flat, but I eagerly anticipated each of David Melville’s entrances as Feste, with his one-man band musical contraption and “ba-dum-bum” delivery. You don’t go to Twelfth Night expecting Sir Andrew Aguecheek to steal the show, but Andre Martin did just that. His performance was stagey in the the best possible way – hysterically over the top; he preened in his garish yellow morning dress and mugged shamelessly. LA Weekly’s review of the show echoes my sentiments. 

Dollar for dollar, laugh for laugh, Twelfth Night provided more bang for the buck than Much Ado About Nothing. But the Theatricum production left a deeper impression and inspired me to take action. I’m looking into their Shakespeare scene study workshops to better reacquaint myself with the Bard.