Smithchai Chutchainon, Seth Rue, Amelia Jacquat, Michael McGovern, Jess Rawls, and Tameka Taylor. Photo by Mark Alan Andre.
When you think of Shakespeare, you probably don’t think of a high-spirited bar in New Orleans, Louisiana. Director Joey Pierce did and decided to stage his production of Shakespeare’s classic comedy “Much Ado About Nothing” in “Bar Messina.” Leonato (Paul Brewster) is a bar owner instead of a governor, and Don Pedro (Michael McGovern) and his crew are army men. Pierce and his cast go for full immersion with this production, with the actors mingling around the center stage bar and asking members of the audience what they would like to drink before the show (don’t get too excited, this was just a gimmick and no actual drinks were delivered).
LTA is always a charmer, and their production of “Much Ado About Nothing” proves no exception.
In this production of “Much Ado,” the set is the star. Designed by Julie Fischer, with stellar lighting design by JK Lighting, the iconic, tiny LTA stage is entirely transformed with fairy lights strung around a very convincing replica of the inside of a homey, yet aged bar, complete with a full set of shelves adorned with bottles. JK Lighting demonstrates a seasoned understanding of lighting source, with much of it coming from very realistic place—fairy lights, overhead lighting, and the doors above at the landing overlooking the bar. The immersive nature of the set makes the cast’s jobs easy, besides the iambic pentameter, of course.
Shakespeare’s comedy is not simple, but done right, it can be incredibly fun. This cast is certainly fun, especially with Seth Rue at the helm as Benedick. Rue has had a number of professional roles in the area and off-Broadway, and his familiarity with physical comedy and Shakespearean language is immediately evident. Rue’s grasp of every word he speaks makes his Benedick deeply human. His ability and willingness to go to ridiculous physical lengths on stage works well to heighten the awkward tension in Benedick and Beatrice’s love story. Amelia Jacquat, who recently won a WATCH Award for her performance in City of Fairfax Theatre Company’s “Legally Blonde,” is a delightfully charming (and badly asthmatic) Hero, with her over-the-top positivity proving why she so quickly wins over Claudio (Smithchai Chutchainon). I was especially pleased with the decision to give Hero asthma. It makes her fainting—which is usually simply brought on by emotion—far more realistic, twisting an outdated stereotype of women’s feelings into something more sympathetic. I was also intrigued by Pierce’s decision, outlined in his director’s note, to make Don Pedro an out gay man while his similarly gay brother, Don John (Zachary Litwiller), is stuck in the closet. Beyond some inspired costume choices for Don Pedro, I did not find that this particular choice had any larger impact on the story. In fact, I don’t think I would have picked up on it at all without the director’s note.
LTA is always a charmer, and their production of “Much Ado About Nothing” proves no exception. While I found myself avoiding actors’ eye contact in order to prevent them from sucking me into audience participation, they proved adept at finding those who would enjoy the interaction and making their afternoon even more enjoyable. Pierce clearly put a lot of thought into how to mold “Much Ado” into his New Orleans vision, and it was nice to see a Shakespearean play that had so much fun with the material, complete with plenty of line dances and big smiles from the cast and the audience. This production is especially good for those looking to make their first foray into Shakespeare. The simpler language and the more grounded, down-to-earth concept of “Much Ado” make it an easier route into the Bard than most.
Running time: Two hours and 15 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.
“Much Ado About Nothing” runs through April 19, 2025 at the Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St, Alexandria, VA 22314. Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 pm and Sunday Matinees at 2 pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at 703-683-0496 or go online.
