Sussex based Shakespearean theatre company, Bowler Crab, had a very successful open air run with their tenth Shakespearean production, Much Ado About Nothing, in June and were applauded with a standing ovation at Raystede Animal Welfare Centre last Saturday.
They will be performing the play for the very last time indoors in Bexhill on Saturday 8th July at the St John's Centre, a church that has been converted into a performance venue following its closure as a place of worship.
Artistic Director, Stephen John told us: "This production has been an absolute pleasure to develop with a talented, truly creative and totally supportive cast - most of whom are new to the company this season. Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare's most renowned pieces, due to its stand out physical situation comedy alongside its moments of real depth. In directing this deceptively deep comic piece this year, Shakespeare has shown me more than ever that human nature and the ways we deal with love, anguish and remorse truly haven't changed in the last four hundred years. Much Ado is a piece for all time and in my mind was best set in a very rustic time period when one's reputation in the face of slander meant everything and love, literature, friendship and family were the only outlets for happiness.
Much Ado must be considered as my favourite play I have worked on to date, filled with very real characters with emotional depth, scenes taking you from hilarious physical comedy smoothly into more relatable love conquests and gutting scenes of deception. A romantic comedy with dance and song, but with an emotional twist that may have audiences shedding a tear or two."
The cast includes Sabina Arthur as Beatrice who recently appeared in HBO's Game of Thrones and The Vote at the Donmar Warehouse, Oliver Towner as Benedick, who will soon be seen as the lead in feature film, Accountable, recently announced for London's FrightFest film festival and Charlie Maynard (Henry V, Regents Park) as Don Pedro. The full cast is Emma Kemp as Hero, Chris Packham as Claudio, Nick Cearns as Leonato, Anthony Lusted as Don John, Christopher Poke as Dogberry, Christabel Clark as Ursula/ Conrad, Henri Hayler as Borachio and Stephen J. John as Seagal/Friar.
IF YOU GO:
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Venue: St John's Centre (31 London Road, TN39 3PD).
Date: 8th July
Doors open at 6.30pm. The show starts at 7.30pm and ends at approx 10pm.
Tickets are £15 from www.bowler-crab.com or by calling 07801893115 and will be available to purchase on the door.
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