MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
By William Shakespeare. On South Coast Repertory’s Mainstage, Costa Mesa. Directed by Mark Rucker. Through April 1. Tickets $28-$49. Call (714) 708-5555 or visit www.scr.org.
Trying to update Shakespeare can be a dangerous undertaking, but Mark Rucker has a knack for doing it brilliantly, as he does here again. Rucker remains true to The Bard’s text,the words are Elizabethan, the references are to 16th century Italy. But he places this story in a milieu that helps it to connect with a contemporary audience,the scenery, the costumes, the accents and the mannerisms evoke the feel of ’30s Hollywood. Displaying wit, charm, glamour, humor and just the right touch of sexual tension, Douglas Sills and Nike Doukas turn Benedick and Beatrice into Grant and Hepburn,bravo! The starring duo anchor a talented and largely veteran SCR cast that performs this classic comedy with youthful zest, as if the play has never been done before. Of course, it hasn’t been, quite like this. Throw in some clever staging, lovely vocals and Broadway dance steps, and this Will Shakespeare leaves you smiling all the way home.
