Much Ado About
Nothing
Bryant Park
June 4, 2016
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| Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company |
You
know the summer is finally here when you find yourself sitting in Bryant Park
watching the first production of The Drilling Company’s summer Shakespeare
season. Then it starts to rain. Yes, the closing night performance of Much Ado About Nothing was rained out
about half way through Act II. The
disappointment was high as everyone ran for cover because the production was
magical. Artistic Director Hamilton
Clancy is the master of outdoor Shakespeare.
He is a skilled director with a keen insight for how to keep the pace
moving, and a focused instinct for great casting.
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| McKay Carpenter & Anwen Darcy Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company |
Before
it started to rain, the stage was overflowing with enchantment and
vitality. Mary Linehan (as Hero) and
Andrew Gombas (as Claudio) were a charming, romantic couple. The chemistry between McKay Carpenter (as
Benedict) and Anwen Darcy (as Beatrice) was fiery and dazzling. Eric Paterniani’s physical characterization
of Conrad was boldly inventive and humorous.
Michael Bernstein’s comic timing delivered a playful Borachio. Drew Valins created a strong Don Pedro. Brandon Reilly was charming and endearing as
Don John.
The
rain might have prevented the last chance I had to see Much Ado About Nothing, but
The Drilling Company has four additional productions coming up this summer. As You
Like It (July 21 - 23) and Measure
for Measure (September 1 - 18) will be at Bryant Park. This marks their third summer partnering with
Bryant Park Presents. Shakespeare in the Parking Lot will celebrate its 21st year with A Midsummer Night’s Dream (July 7 – 24) and The Merchant of Venice (July 28 – August 14) at the Clemente
Cultural Center parking lot (114 Norfolk Street). All performances are FREE, and are sure to be
great experiences. Check out their
website for performance times and details, and enjoy the best summer
Shakespeare New York has to offer.
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| Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company |
Domenick Danza
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