This Autumn, the Tamaritans Theatre Company are proud to perform one of Shakespeare’s best loved comedies, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING…with a twist. The play moves to fabulous Mexico, is set in the 1980s and celebrates the famous festival, the Day of the Dead. Below the director, Vince Sutton, explains a little more.
What attracted you to this play?
This is one of the best comedies by Shakespeare, and one of the most accessible and relevant. It is a rom-com classic with a key message… do not make decisions based on gossip. This play is suitable for younger audiences and is my personal favourite.
Why have you set it in Mexico, and in the 1980s?
My goal was to stick to the original text as no-one writes like Shakespeare! But I wanted to deepen the comedic elements, and to give audiences a new perspective on a well-known play. Setting this classic tale of love, romance, scandal and miscommunication against the backdrop of Mexico’s Day Of The Dead celebrations and in a Hacienda owned by the Leonata family in the 1980s, I wanted to take the audience on a hilarious journey with bandits and Mariachi bands. The Leonata family themselves are a bunch of ex-pat Brits with a dubious past who have taken up residence in the Casa Merida. They invite a bunch of bandits led by Don Pedro and this brother Don Juan for the festivities. Over the course of the weekend Benedick and Beatrice spar, while Claudio and Hero fall in love and a wedding is hastily arranged. But with Don Juan and his conspirators meddling things go horribly wrong…….
Once I had decided on Mexico, I spent time researching and decided to make much of the masked party, and so made the theme around Day of the Dead as it is a big event in Mexico. Then I realised we open on Hallowe’en and the 2nd November is the actual date…so had to make something of that too!
As a director, what have been your favourite parts?
The scenes with masks and playing around with the characterisation. The cast have been brilliant in bringing the ideas in my head alive. They have met all requests with energy, enthusiasm, and open mindedness. They are a talented cast and have been able to experiment with the physical humour and visual humour alongside the complexities of the script.
I have also loved directing the party scenes, and the dancing. We have had lots of fun with that.
What else would you like to tell us?
On 31st October there will be a prize for the best fancy dress costume in the audience, and on 2nd of November (which is the Day Of The Dead) a best mask competition. However, on any night you can bring your own mask if you wish the remain incognito! There is an opportunity to meet cast and director on these two nights
With masks, mayhem and marriage…amid tequila and the Day of the Dead, this is a play not to be missed!
The play runs from 31 October to 5 November at the Ivybridge Watermark, and tickets can be purchased directly from the venue or online www.ivybridgewatermark.co.uk
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