BBC Online on Much Ado About Nothing, 18 June 2004
"Open air Shakespeare"
Much Ado About Nothing
Queen Square
Until 19th June 2004
"Watch out for low-flying seagulls during this Shakespearean comedy!"
It's an ambitious project - to perform one of Shakespeare's most well-loved plays, not in the comfort of a theatre, but in the open air, in the centre of Bristol and with a promise that the show will go on, come what may.
But it is a challenge carried out with aplomb by the British Touring Shakespeare Company during their week-long stay in Queen Square.
No matter that sirens and seagulls threaten to interrupt the action every few minutes with noisy interjections, or that a fair chunk of the audience are concentrating more on their picnics than on the play - this confident cast don't miss a beat.
The central pairing of Beatrice (Bristol-trained Daisy Douglas) and Benedicke (the excellent Miles Gregory) is perfect - she quick-witted and even quicker-tongued, and he sharp and funny with just enough of the buffoon about him.
Thomas Mallaburn is suitably naive as the young Count Claudio, and David Pomerantz plays the patriarch Leonato for laughs, especially when trying to set Beatrice and Benedicke up to fall in love.
There is no stage, just a clearing between two of the square's huge trees, and the setting is timeless.
I initially guessed at the 18th century, given the Jane Austenesque outfits (empire line dresses, bonnets and military uniforms) worn by most of the cast and the formal dancing at the masked ball.
Handlebar moustaches
But this theory was shot to pieces near the end of the first half when Dogberry and Verges and their two constables turned up wearing 20th century police uniforms complete with fluorescent jackets and, in the case of the constables, huge handlebar moustaches.
And any further attempts to pin down exactly when the action was taking place were wrecked by the surreal addition of the theme tune to Blankety-Blank during an odd quiz show element towards the end of the play.
It's just a shame about the background noise - I'm not sure what the point of asking the audience to switch off their mobile phones was when all the while cars were allowed to chug noisily around the square as the actors tried to make themselves heard with no microphones.
My only other bugbear was the - apparently deliberate - lack of a stage. I'm not sure who made the decision, but I wonder if they, like me, spent half of the play ducking and weaving between the deckchairs of better prepared audience members to try and get a view of the actors and the action.
Still, no matter - this was a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend an evening, complete with champagne and strawberries, full-blown picnic or even a takeaway pizza. Just remember to take a chair!
Bryony Jones
