Much Ado About Nothing

That Shakespeare remains important, engaging and entertaining was emphatically demonstrated by the abounding enthusiasm for Grammar’s Much Ado, from the unusually large number of boys auditioning through to the hundreds of people attending each night.

Pictured: L-R: James Brew (V) , Henry Morris (V), Hugo Sharkey (V) and Theo Walsh (IV)

Leading the tale of amusingly reluctant lovers was the remarkable Harvey Abrahams (VI) who, having somehow turned a prickly nerd into a comic marvel in last year’s Spelling Bee, here gave us a Benedick whose mercurial nature and quirky musings were richly enhanced though strikingly effective physical expression. Whether in his exaggerated movements or the fine detail of his variations in voice and facial expression, poses and gestures, Abrahams’ command was such that he needed only to set foot on the stage for the audience to collectively inhale with anticipation.

Pictured: Harvey Abrahams (VI) and Lulu Joye

Tasked with countering all of this was the delightful Lulu Joye, also returning from Spelling Bee. Joye created a charismatic and compelling Beatrice, with her exuberant displays of wit and playfulness later giving way to an affecting rawness as she struggled to balance her defiant sadness for Hero with her reluctant love for Benedick. Together, these two fine actors established a relationship which, theatrical antics aside, lifted itself into the realm of the touchingly familiar, sweeping convincingly from the irritation of their opening exchanges, past the comedy of their uneasy entanglement and through to the cheeky joyousness of their eventual union.

Much Ado’s serious concerns push it well beyond mere romantic comedy, and here both James Brew (V) and Hugo Sharkey (V) were effective as the powerful patriarchs who begin as friends but end up in heated opposition. Where Brew’s Leonato offered both dignified restraint and fatherly unease, Sharkey’s Don Pedro was at once cheerful and commanding, nicely hinting at the power lurking behind his apparent warmth and amiability.

Pictured: Henry Morris (V) and Anna Colquhoun

Theo Walsh (IV) as Claudio added a youthful moodiness and sensitivity, and Mark Bergman (V) managed to make villain Don John broodingly evil and forceful without ever crossing the line into melodrama. Handed the challenging role of comic fool Dogberry, Peter Jones (III) was fearless in turning the constable into a sort of manic, demented detective, while Thomas Fullilove (IV), empowered by some highspeed costume changes, admirably slipped back and forth between an absurd Verges and a very polite Friar Francis.

Pictured: L-R: Lachlan Busic (IV), Alexander Yiu (II), Joseph Walsh (II), Max Brown (IV) and Rory Lambert (V)

Pictured: Thomas Fullilove (IV) and Peter Jones (III)

All members of this large cast contributed through their thoughtfulness and their sustained attention to detail, and they were supported by a hardworking and conscientious crew led by evercalm stage manager Zain Lutfi (IV).

Shakespeare’s comedies are particularly difficult to master, what with their constant shifts in mood and mode laid atop the demands of the language, and an added challenge here was Much Ado’s pressingly relevant concern with the way that women can be controlled and destroyed by the power of social conventions. Undaunted, the enthusiasm and talent of the cast was enough to bring this beautifully designed production soaring into life.

Play the video below to see some highlights from this dynamic production

Return to Stories

Community Quicklinks

For Pupils

For Parents

Calendar

For Staff

Articles by the Headmaster

Publications

Sport

Music

Debating

Cadets

Co-curricular Life

Parent Associations

Old Sydneians