There is plenty of romantic intrigue brewing in Brooks Secondary School’s rendition of William Shakespeare’s classic comedy Much Ado About Nothing which debuts at 7 pm on Wednesday, November 21 at Max Cameron Theatre.
The play centres around young lovers Hero and Claudio, who are to be married in one week, and the cynical sparring partners Benedick and Beatrice. Hero and Claudio conspire to trick Benedick and Beatrice into confessing their hidden love for one another. But the young lovers don’t suspect that Don John, a jealous nobleman, is out to break up their own wedding.
Acting students in grades 11 and 12 are playing the parts in the school-wide Shakespeare project which includes eight teachers and three departments. Roughly 440 students are studying the play in the school and various departments are helping to put the play on from the carpentry students building sets to the acting students who will perform the play. Brooks students will attend the daytime show scheduled on Thursday, November 22.
“We talked as departments about working as a team to bring more enthusiasm to the most read author,” said Brenda Laycock, Brooks theatre arts teacher. “Much Ado About Nothing is a really fun way to introduce Shakespearean comedy that pokes fun at our hormonal urges, our desire to be in love, our fear of our approachability and rejection. The messages in Shakespeare are often timeless.”
Kyle Auclair is the student director and stage manager of the production. The play has been double casted with students from the acting class, who had the extra challenge of often learning more than one part.
“The acting class has fallen out of their seat laughing while playing with the language,” said Laycock. “They emphatically enjoy watching each other play the ludicrous comedic scenes while mocking young lovers who are making much ados about really no thing.”
Performances are scheduled from 7 pm to 8:30 pm on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, November 21, 23 and 24. Tickets are $10 per person and available at Brooks and Powell River Academy of Music box office.
