Much ado about Shakespeare

Shakespeare can be intimidating, but the Saint John Shakespeare Festival tends to make fans out of everyone.
That’s no hyperbole. The event’s artistic director, Elizabeth Chase, recounts via email numerous stories of children and self-proclaimed Shakespeare haters being transformed into fans in the mere two hours it takes to see their play.

Chase described one night where a Shakespeare-loathing friend of an actor was guilted into seeing their play. Afterwards, he ran up to her, exclaiming, “I got it! I really got it! I never got it in school, but I got this! This was great!”

“Now that is a compliment,” Chase comments. “Too many people endured a bad experience in high school, trying to study the Bard’s works. I maintain that, although flattered, Will would be appalled that we subject ourselves to forced classroom study of his poetry.”

Chase has strong theory, but her implementation is even better. She calls herself a stickler for historical accuracy, which she says is best embodied by “magnificent wardrobe pieces,” she picks plays based on her actors’ strengths, and she spends “significant time” making sure they understand every word that they, and their castmates, are saying. For her, Shakespeare is a work of passion receiving the utmost dedication.

Thus far, each of the Saint John Shakespeare Festival’s plays has been different.

This year continues uniquely with Much Ado About Nothing, one of Shakespeare’s
best-received comedies about two couples deceived by one villainous character.

The play is one of Shakespeare’s more child-appropriate ones, as it ends in two marriages and no death.
Curtain time is at 7:30 p.m., like it is in England, and the show is at the Imperial Theatre. With a running time of about two hours and a 15-minute intermission, you’ll be heading home before 10.

As Chase says, “Give Will a chance… come to a live play performance… you’ll be happily surprised.” •

01 Saint John Shakespeare Festival, Oct 1&2, Imperial Theatre, Saint John, saintjohnshakespeare.ca