BWW Reviews: Real-Life Husband and Wife Team Buoy Post5's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Picture it: Willamette Valley in the 1950s. The men have just returned from a successful military campaign, the women are all looking lovely as they drink wine and tend to the garden -- what's everyone to do but fall in love? Post5 Theatre, which earlier this year staged a Gilligan's Island-inspired TWELFTH NIGHT and a Shakespeare-meets-Portland THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, now brings us MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING set in an Oregon vineyard.

MUCH ADO is one of Shakespeare's most well-known plays. Because it's funny, it's considered a comedy, and because it's about love it's usually played as a rom-com.

In the play, soldiers, led by Don Pedro, come to Leonato's estate to celebrate a military victory. One of them, Claudio, falls in love with Leonato's daughter, Hero, and through a scheme involving a dance and a disguise, the two become engaged. At the same time, Claudio's friend and confirmed bachelor Benedick and Hero's fiery cousin Beatrice carry on a battle of the wits. Since romance is in the air, Don Pedro and others hatch a plan to trick Beatrice and Benedick into falling in love.

Meanwhile, Don Pedro's spiteful illegitimate brother Don John decides to wreck everything by convincing Claudio that Hero has been unfaithful. As it turns out, this doesn't take much. The wedding is ruined, and everyone is unhappy for a time, but as this is a comedy, things all work out.

The success of this play depends on the strength of the main characters, Benedick and Beatrice, who squabble their way into falling in love. In Post5's production, the two are played by real-life husband and wife team Ty and Cassandra Boice (who also serve as Post5's Artistic Director and Associate Artistic Director, respectively). This casting is brilliant. Rather than just being a series of verbal tennis matches and silly deceptions, their courtship successfully treads the fine line between love and hate where true passion lies. It's hard to imagine this is not enhanced by the Boices' personal relationship.

Unfortunately, the other characters and relationships don't quite assume the same level of depth. Claudio is just a silly young thing, and even in the hands of the very capable Chip Sherman, the character never reaches any greater heights. Hero (Aislin Courtis) is a bland young woman who, other than a short outburst following the accusation of disloyalty, doesn't display either the inclination or the will to do anything other than what the men say she should. And Scott Parker's Leonato is neither here nor there -- he basically just gives speeches, which aren't always that easy to understand.

The major exceptions are Don John and the constable, Dogberry, both played by Stan Brown. Brown has been in all of Post5's Shakespeare productions this season, and here he has the opportunity to display his range. As Don John, he is vile and malicious -- you do not want that glare pointed at you. As Dogberry, he is delightfully ridiculous, all getting his words mixed up and crowing about being an ass. Just fantastic.

There were a lot of things I liked about this play -- the music, the use of both indoor and outdoor spaces, some great over-the-top comedic moments (a la director Darragh Keenan). But, perhaps because the characters are uneven, the timing is as well. When Stan Brown and either of the Boices is onstage, time passes too quickly. When they aren't, it's easy for your mind to wander and for you to become aware of hot it is this summer (a big thanks to Post5 for providing personal misting fans -- awesome touch). However, given Post5's track record of excellence, I have every confidence that these are just kinks that will be worked out over the course of the run.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING runs through August 16. For tickets, visit post5theatre.org. Note that the show begins at 8, not 7:30 as per the Portland usual.

Photo credit: Russell J. Young

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