Maldon Drama Group has delivered an excellent and accessible retelling of one of Shakespeare's best comedies, Much Ado About Nothing, three years after the pandemic shut it down.

The group will put on a special outdoor performance at the Museum of Power this Saturday (July 1).

MDG's Much Ado opens in the garden of the Swan Inn, clad in Union Flag bunting to mark the end of the Second World War. On stage, wives, daughters, and maids eagerly await the arrival of their loved ones from the frontline.

Suddenly, loud chuckling is heard from behind the audience, as Don Pedro leads his men to the pub.

Long-time local amateur actor Neil Smith does admirable service to Benedick's sarcastic and somewhat arrogant personality, delivering his witticisms and remarks with enviable skill.

Young Claudio confides in Benedick, after immediately falling in love with Hero, daughter of inn landlady Leonata (Karen Smith). Rightly, the young man (played by Chris Selden) is ridiculed by his peers, for daring to express his emotions.

The back-and-forth between Benedick, Claudio, and Don Pedro (played by Scott Peters) is lively and engaging. Meanwhile, cynical Benedick meets his match in Leonata's sardonic niece Beatrice, played by Michelle Edgington.

Don Pedro agrees to help Claudio win Hero's (Heather Sims') heart, in a typically overcomplicated Shakespearean way. He plans to "woo" her at a masquerade ball, on Claudio's behalf.

What could that possibly go wrong?

A lot.

Loyal Margaret (played by Carey Brown) informs Leonata that her daughter is the target of Claudio's affections, and that he intends to make his feelings known at the ball.

But disaster looms with the arrival of Don John. Ghislaine Davis subverts the old theatre tradition of young men playing women by taking on the role of Don Pedro's sinister brother.

Ghislaine throws herself into the character, with all the sneaky and under-handed attitudes audiences may expect from the not-so-nobleman.

The somewhat unorthodox masks used in the production put a humorous spin on the formalities of a masquerade ball. The sight of Claudio donning a Mickey Mouse mask certainly raised more than a few giggles from the audience.

A conga, started by Don Pedro, brings the play about 400 years into the future as the cast leaves the scene.

Meanwhile, Don John and Borachio put their plan of deceit into action, as they convince Claudio that Don Pedro has his own selfish intentions with Hero.

The occasional fluffed line is covered skilfully, as the cast is largely polished and on the ball.

Claudio is disappointed to have lost his chance with Hero, but Don Pedro explains he never had any intention of stealing her from him. Claudio and Hero finally get the chance to confess their shared affections - and have a brief courtship of about 30 seconds, before their wedding.

The next day, the hungover punters at the Swan Inn break into a surreal 1940s-style rendition of Sigh No More. The whole cast joins in, singing along to the tune of The Andrews Sisters' Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.

Heads bob in and out from behind the wings, drawing lots of laughter from the surprised audience.

Leonata, Don Pedro and Claudio then trick Benedick into thinking Beatrice loves him. Benedick mistakenly believes he is hidden from them while they feign a discussion about Beatrice's "true" feelings.

When performing a sort of "play within a play", the challenge for any actor must be to "over-act" to just the right extent, without breaking the fourth wall and grinning cheesily at the audience. Chris Seldon and his co-stars find this careful balance, providing the precise amount of exaggeration needed to convey the sense of trickery at play.

Beatrice faces similar trickery at the hands of Hero and her maid Ursula, played by Fabienne Hanley. (Photo: David Weller)

Sneaky Don John throws a spanner in the works the night before the wedding, claiming Hero has been unfaithful to Claudio. This is helped by a setup in which poor Margaret is inadvertently involved with Don John and Borachio's scheming.

Claudio rejects Hero at the altar. She faints and, as anyone would, her family pretends she is dead. In private, Mum Leonata berates her daughter as a "sinner", as Karen Smith delivers her scathing attacks with serious gusto.

When the others leave, there is a touching moment in which Benedick confesses his love to a weeping Beatrice. This represents a shift in their usually derisive attitudes. However, the moment is soured when Beatrice demands Benedick kills Claudio for rejecting Hero.

Benedick tells Claudio that Hero has been effectively slandered to death. Don Pedro tries to protect Claudio, but Borachio and Conrade (Trevor Hammond) are soon dragged before them to confess to their deception. Claudio learns Hero was innocent all along.

He agrees to make amends with Leonata by marrying her "niece".

As he mourns Hero, Claudio gives Chris Seldon the chance to show off two of his talents: singing and serious acting.

At the wedding, Leonata's "niece" is revealed to be Hero. The two marry, followed shortly afterwards by Benedick and Beatrice.

Overall, the production was relatively slick and expertly done, despite some very complex Shakespearean language. Emotions and meanings were conveyed clearly, so even those not used to the lingo could appreciate the sense behind it.

One note would be that the acoustics of the Town Hall made it a little difficult to hear some of the dialogue at times. Perhaps some more amplification could remedy that?

All in all, it's another triumph for Maldon Drama Group.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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