Set in a present-day New Orleans bar, the Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA) production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Joey Pierce, establishes and maintains an energetic, broadly comic pace and tone.
The witty, wisecracking relationship of Beatrice (Jess Rawls) and Benedick (Seth Rue) — the prototype of untold numbers of romcoms about bickering couples who eventually get around to confessing true love — is central to the play. Rue, a skilled physical actor, shines in the movement and slapstick aspects of his characterization. He delivers his lines fluidly and with great clarity, particularly in Benedick’s more reflective moments.
Rawls’ Beatrice is a woman with a passionate heart, not only in ultimately giving her love to Benedick but in defending her wronged friend, Hero. She is not someone for half-measures. It is fair to say that she is the emotional center of the production.
Throughout most of the play, Amelia Jacquat’s Hero is effervescent, physically and vocally. When Claudio (Smithchai Chutchainon) unjustly rejects and shames her at their wedding, her trauma and physical breakdown are therefore all the more convincing, making for the outstanding acting moment of the show.
The energy in the relationship between Hero and Claudio was uneven, with Claudio seeming somewhat passive, all too readily acted upon, whether by Don Pedro (Michael McGovern), who woos Hero in his stead, or Don John (Zachary Litwiller), who convinces him that Hero is unfaithful. That Don Pedro and Claudio so rapidly fall for Don John’s chicanery feels less believable in contemporary Louisiana than it might have in 16th-century Messina.
Given the modern setting of the production, Claudio, Benedick, and Don Pedro are a trio of bros, with Don Pedro being the alpha, his active physicality and personality commanding their scenes. Don John delivers his lines with a flat affect and minimal physical interaction with other characters. In this interpretation, it may be that a major source of Don John’s villainy is depression, with a whiff of incel enviousness.
Much Ado is very much an ensemble show, and the depth of LTA’s cast is impressive. Among several other fine performances, Paul Brewster’s Leonato stands out as the adult in the room, wise, protective, and forgiving. As Dogberry, Jeff Elmore is appropriately goofy, though at times the thick Southern accent he was given got in the way of some of the character’s famous malapropisms. (In this New Orleans, apparently, only lower-class characters have Southern accents.)
As one of the best-resourced community theaters in the area, LTA can be counted upon for excellent physical productions, and Much Ado is no exception. Julie Fischer’s two-level set is delightful to look at, with the ironwork on the balcony providing a good NOLA touch and smoothly functional as well. The active, multicolored lighting design (Jeffrey Auerbach and Kimberly Crago) matches well the locale and pace of the action. Night scenes are lit convincingly, and specials highlight actors giving monologues.
With a large cast and multiple costume changes for many of the actors, designer Joan Lawrence and the wardrobe crew had a busy time of it. Whether camo uniforms for the bros, sexy purple for many of the women, a short-skirted wedding gown for Hero, formal wear in the wedding and funeral scenes, and often more informal garb for Beatrice, the costuming was both visually arresting and suitable to the characters.
Beyond the pre-show hot jazz selections, and a brief appearance of “When the Saints,” there is little in the production to suggest a New Orleans soundscape. The show does include a few songs, but they were not rendered in a jazzy style. Melissa Dunlap’s choreography featured a couple line dance sequences and some sweet partner dancing and solo turns, notably from Claudio at the end of the show.
The production consistently followed the director’s concept for the show and, in the process, proved a real audience-pleaser to the opening night crowd.
Running Time: Two hours and 15 minutes, including one intermission.
Much Ado About Nothing plays through April 19, 2025 (Thursdays–Saturdays at 8 pm, Sunday matinees at 2 pm), at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA. To purchase tickets ($26, reserved seating), go online or contact the Box Office via phone (703-683-0496) or email (boxoffice@thelittletheatre.com).
The program for Much Ado About Nothing is downloadable here.
