Much to enjoy
13 Nov 2018
A cracking production of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing proved a wonderfully funny and entertaining evening for the near capacity audience in the OBT on Monday 12 November.
Directors of the College and Rangi Ruru Girls’ School junior co-production Nikki Bleyendaal and Peter Rutherford gave this timeless tale of misunderstandings, love and deception a Mexican-inspired setting and – hola! – the cast had a whole lot of fun bringing the story to life.
Handsome young swains Year 10 students James Currie and Jamie Barr, playing romantic leads Benedick and Claudio, didn’t really know what to expect when they signed on, but both had some previous acting experience and were keen to give it a go.
Jamie says getting to grips with Shakespearean English was challenging at first. “It was really hard to get used to the language, but once Ms Bleyendaal had broken it down for us and we understood what was going on, when it was explained, it all made sense. It was such a good experience, learning to understand and appreciate Shakespeare, being part of a theatre company and creating something so special.”
Both boys enjoyed opening night, the culmination of weeks of hard work. “The rehearsals became a lot more fun as time went on and everyone was ready to step up for the real thing. It was great to have such a good audience response,” says James.
Everyone loves a happy ending and, of course, after much ado, everything turns out for the best. Benedick and Beatrice finally admit their feelings for each other and Claudio marries Hero in a wonderful celebration of life and love. Hoorah!
A new generation of talented young thespians have clearly been captivated by the Bard.
The College–Rangi Ruru season of Much Ado About Nothing runs from Monday 12–Wednesday 14 November.
