In a grudge match of lyric proportions, Vancouver takes on London in Much Ado about Nothing. Ironicists of all kinds will appreciate the play that has been chosen for this grudge match.
I went to MAAN at Vancouver's Bard on the Beach two Sundays ago. Then this Sunday I went to the Globe Theatre.
Bard on the Beach
Bard on the Beach is set in Vancouver's Vanier Park, overlooking English Bay. The performances are done in tents with open backs allowing views of the north shore mountains. The BotB version used a Post WWII setting with period costumes and music. Some of the highlights for me:
The setting, both the play itself and the location, was wonderful.
The garden scene where Benedick and Beatrice are listening in was extremely funny. They actively moved around the set: Benedick acted like a greek statue at one point, he got some Tea from the waiter( the ever humourous James Fagan Tait), and Beatrice got watered on when the gardener watered the flowers she was hiding behind.
Christopher Gaze was amazing as Dogberry. His riding around on his wwII bicycle was simply some of the funniest stuff I've seen.
Beatrice, played by Kerry Sandornisky, was excellent as well.
On the other hand, I thought some of the other players were a bit weak in there performance. Claudio(Jonathan Geenen) and Hiro(Lara Gilchrist) are very new performers, Lara graduated in 2004, and it showed. I hope they stay with it, but they need to strengthen their performances.
Globe Theatre
I finally got to the new Globe Theatre in London. I took a few pictures.
The Globe's cast was an all female cast which I thought was a neat variation on the traditional theme. The characters were strong and clear, but not quite as strong as I thought they might have been. I've heard that the performers who perform in the Globe aren't the very best shakespearean, though darned good.
Beatrice(Yolanda Vazquez) and Hero (Mariah Gale) are two of the strongest female leads I've seen. Very clear, funny, strong. The audience gave a round of spontaneous applause to Beatrice's clapping of her hand to her chest when acknowledging Benedick, the move was so funny and well done.
The globe cast interacted with the audience more than I've ever seen, which was a delight. A couple examples: Benedick is trying to write his poem, and he asks the crowd, "A word that rhymes with school". He then looks at a man in the audience, who responds "Fool". To which, Benedick responds "You'll do.".
Later Benedick says that his lord needs a wife, he looks around the audience, then beckons gallantly to one lady.
The judges say.
I give the participants in the grudge match of comedic proportions a tie. Vancouver got high marks for the beach side location and the comedy. The globe got high marks for crowd interaction and main character strength. They tied on costuming.