By Rachel Ricks
Much Ado About Nothing, a Shakespearean classic put on by UVU, brings to life the story of what happens when people make, as the title states, “much ado” or a great fuss over nothing. This comedic play tells the story of love, revenge, betrayal, and what happens when others start to interfere in the lives of those around them.
The cast is impeccable for Much Ado About Nothing. The amount of talent on the stage was very enjoyable to watch and kept me constantly engaged throughout the whole performance, which in and of itself can be a feat when taking the original Shakespearean text and setting it in a more modern (1945) setting. I love the direction, given by John Newman that pulls the audience in, moves the plot along nicely, and made sure we were 100% invested in every character and every plot point.
Beatrice, played by Sam Sanduk, Benedick played by Jacob Thomason, and Claudio played by Josh Needles are pristine in their characters. Sanduk brings such energy and spunk from the moment she walks on stage. From her first line, I knew that she was going to be SO fun to watch as every line dripped with sarcasm, wit, and the perfect energy for the part. Thomason is also perfectly cast for his part of Benedick. His facial expressions and motions are spot on 100% of the time and it was impressive how well he commanded the stage. My favorite part of the show was when Benedick was trying to overhear what his fellow comrades were saying about him and Beatrice as he tiptoed across the stage, army crawled across the stage, somersaulted across the stage, and left the audience in fits of laughter with every move he made.
Needles is another standout of the night with his quick wit, lovesick longings, and the emotion he is able to portray. The first kiss between Claudio and Hero (Aspen Thompson) is nothing short of hilarious and it was evident that Needles is meant for this comedic role. The truly impressive part for me was the full range of emotion that he puts into the part and how naturally he knows how to portray betrayal, anger, frustration, hurt, regret, and pure joy as his character feels those emotions. Thompson is the perfect Hero and match for Claudio as she plays the part with a sweetness, tenderness, and purity that compliments all the other characters with a personality that the story needs.
There are two great father/leader figures that create a loving and kind presence. Hero’s father, Leonato (Shane Nuttall) and Don Pedro, (Duncan Johnson), as he led his men Benedick and Claudio and sought to help them in whatever ways he could. I loved Nuttall’s fatherly portrayal of Leonato—t he look on his face shows how much he loves his daughter and I could feel with him the joys and betrayals he felt. Johnson often is head of the mischievous trio of Leonato, Claudio, and himself and keeps a twinkle in his eye but also knows how to get back to business when issues present themselves.
Dean John (Matt Oviatt) and Conrad Borachio (Tyler Botill) are great in their villainous roles. They are cunning and sly but not over the top, which makes them believable. Margaret (Maren Letherbridge), Ursula (Laura Williamson), Dogberry (Devon Trop) and Verges (Ammon Jenkins) along with the watchmen round out the cast and all do a great job of setting the plot and providing comedic relief in the second act. I love the use of music that was brought in, designed by Kevin Criman, with Balthasar Wilson (Rilyn Gardner) and her voice along with the songs chosen work really well for the 1940s feel.
With this talented cast, it doesn’t matter what your familiarity levels with Shakespeare are, you can be sure that you’ll be in for a fun-filled and enjoyable evening. So be sure to put UVU’s Much Ado About Nothing on your must see list!
UVU Department of Theatrical Arts Presents Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
UVU Noorda Theatre, 800 W University Pkwy, Orem, UT 84058
November 9– November 17, 2018, 7:30 PM
Tickets: $5-14
Much Ado about Nothing Facebook Event
UVU School of the Arts Facebook Page
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