Entertainment / Review: Much Ado About Nothing

Review: Much Ado About Nothing

Entertainment May 22, 2015

by Shaista Khan

4/4 stars
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Richard Rose
Closing Performance: May 31, 2015
Tarragon Theatre in the Mainspace
tarragontheatre.com or 416-531-1827

Never did I think I would hear words like “Sasquatch,” “Iqaluit,” “rock and roll,” “tell me straight-up” and “man of Canada” or witness Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” being performed live by actors while they masquerade around in Halloween costumes from a Shakespearian play. Such is the mixture of Richard Rose’s Bollywood-inspired adaption of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, set in modern-day Brampton with a diverse cast, a minimalistic set design, and rich and cultural costumes.

Much Ado Ensemble

In this twenty-first century reworking of the play, billionaire Lord Tata (Kawa Ada) and his financial staff are paying a visit to Mayor Ranjit of Brampton (David Adams). Darius (Ali Momen), Lord Tata’s protégé, falls in love with the mayor’s daughter Sita (Sarena Parmar) and is helped by his boss to win her love. Benedict (Alon Nashman), Tata’s CFO, on the other hand, is thoroughly against the notion of love and marriage, mirroring the beliefs of the mayor’s niece Thara (Anusree Roy). The two are happy in their contempt and bewildered when they hear the other might be in love with them, thanks to the clever plotting of Lord Tata and his friends.

Ali Momen, Kawa Ada, Alon Nashman & David Adams

So unfolds the story, slow as it might be at the beginning. But the plot has the whole audience in rapture by Act II, where Benedict is hiding behind a tree, which he asks one audience member to hold while sitting in the lap of another audience member as he eavesdrops on the conversation. The play is sprinkled with unexpected differences, though the language is, in most cases, the same as that used 400 years ago. And that's where the beauty of the show lies. It's hilariously refreshing and modern to see actors on stage performing Shakespeare while incorporating things like texting and hashtagging on their phones, taking selfies and performing Bharatanatyam dances.

Anusree Roy, Tahirih Vejdani, Nova Bhattacharya, Sarena Parmar & Ellora Patnaik

The true genius of the production, however, is how well it works in the Bollywood cultural context. It showcases the intricacies of Indian culture by bringing to light the serious issues of marriage, dignity and honour. Although Sita and Darius bring emotion to a highly sensitive scene, Mayor Rnajit and Auntie (played by Ellora Patnaik), who speaks in Hindi with zeal and emotion (there are English surtitles), move the audience. Their acting expresses the anguish a family experiences when a daughter is cast aside in marriage and accused of shaming the family's name and honour. All other details become a backdrop to these two actors' superb performance in Act II, and you can understand why the play is valuable in a Bollywood context.

Anand Rajaram & John Cleland

As the tale unfolds, it's once again Thara and Benedict who take the spotlight with their clever speeches, sharp wit and bawdy humour, bringing an end to the merry tale. The two Brampton police officers on night duty are notable as well for their hilarious performance filled with stereotypes and amusing blunders. Rose’s production is rich because the beauty is in the details, which capture the audience through their involvement, making for a fun night out. All in all, there's a lot to absorb in this two-hour production, and you'll leave feeling like the time and effort you spent was well worth it.

^{_{Images Courtesy of Tarragon Media

Photographer Credit photographer Cylla von Tiedemann}}

Shaista Khan

Author

Coming to Canada as a young girl, this book and nature junkie has experienced two worlds since the beginning. You can find her reading books in the sun or at the beach, and frequenting plays, operas and the arts. Her interest in all things creative has led her to previously write for Anokhi magazine...

COMMENTS

Top 3 Bollywood Flicks To Watch In April 2015

Can We Trust Outside Perspectives?

Brit Indie Flick Amar Akbar & Tony's Premiere

Shah Rukh Khan & Zayn Malik Honoured At The Asian Awards

HOT DOCS 2015: 'Made In India' Programme

Master-D Signs To Universal

Bolly Movies To Watch In May 2015

Film Review: Traceable

Warraich Grill Naach Meri Jaan Toronto Finals

Celebrity Advertisements That Provoked

The 15th Annual NYIFF Opening Night Gala

10 Reasons Why We'll Miss The Mindy Project

Get Reel Digital: May DVD Releases

desiFEST Artist Line-Up Revealed!

Must-See Hollywood Movies For May 2015

Nargis Fakhri Makes Hollywood Debut In Spy

Interview With Actress Supinder Wraich

Film Review: What's Love Got To Do With It?

Film Review: Unfreedom

Get Reel: June's Must-Watch Movies

Keeping Up With Caitlyn Jenner

BUZZ: Botox & Ex-Lovers: June's Must-See Bollywood Films

BUZZ: Nargis Fakhri: Then & Now

BUZZ: IIFA 2015: Who Will Win?

BUZZ: The 69th Annual Tony Awards

IIFA 2015: Award Show Highlights

BUZZ: 5 Reasons Why We Still Love Salman Khan

Review: Much Ado About Nothing

by Shaista Khan

4/4 stars By William Shakespeare Directed by Richard Rose Closing Performance: May 31, 2015 Tarragon Theatre in the Mainspace tarragontheatre.com or 416-531-1827

Shaista Khan

COMMENTS

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

4/4 stars
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Richard Rose
Closing Performance: May 31, 2015
Tarragon Theatre in the Mainspace
tarragontheatre.com or 416-531-1827