Shaking up Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

Centuries pass, but the game of love stays the same - things are blown out of proportion, secrets are spilled, and friends sometimes turn into fools. It may be that no one knows this better than Shakespeare himself, whose many comedies still ring true today. With the proliferation of LOLs, ROTFLs, and OMGs in the language of the youth these days, however, the bard's biting humor barely makes it through the difficult speech, not to mention the heavy accents in classic theatre. True, iambic pentameter is less used in Much Ado About Nothing than in other Shakespearean plays, but Upstart Productions has gone the extra mile to modernize the classic tale. Founded by theater veteran Joel Trinidad, the company has reconceptualized the play for young audiences, but has kept the Shakespearean text unaltered. "Thus we have basketball players instead of soldiers, cheerleaders instead of courtiers, and security guards instead of watchmen, all set in the present day," reads the invitation to the preview on June 28.

During the preview, the actors were at performance level, doing justice to Shakespeare's characters. The entire cast had impressive energy, so it hardly mattered that the costumes were incomplete, and there was no set yet. We'll never know how Shakespeare might feel about the Fila-sponsored basketball team and cheering squad, not to mention the music which includes Paramore, The National, and The Ting Tings. But this is hardly the first time his plays have been made contemporary, and it's safe to say his lines were intact, and the spirit very much there. For those unfamiliar with the story, Much Ado About Nothing is basically a tale of two couples that have to go through a lot of crazy stuff before they can end up together and live happily ever after. Hero and Claudio are to be wed, but the prince's mean stepbrother Don John is a troublemaker. He gets his cohorts Borrachio and Conrad to make Hero appear disloyal, and Claudio rejects her at the altar. In the meantime, the prince Don Pedro is bent on becoming matchmaker between Benedick and Beatrice. Benedick is the ultimate bachelor, who detests the idea of love, while Beatrice likes nothing better than to engage Benedick in a battle of wits. If the goal is to make Filipino teenagers appreciate Shakespeare, then Upstart Productions has succeeded with this production. The group of high school students sitting behind us could hardly contain their delight as they squealed at the love scenes between Benedick and Beatrice. They also showed their appreciation by being audibly upset when Hero was wronged. Unfortunately, the popular songs may have not been such a good idea, as the kids could not help but sing along, even after the song stopped playing. Trinidad requested teachers to remind their students about theater etiquette. "Give the theatre itself the respect that it deserves," he said before the show started. Perhaps, keeping talking (and singing) to a minimum didn't register as a sign of showing respect. On the other hand, maybe they were just getting carried away. In Upstart Productions' well-assembled cast, Hero is every bit the lovely little lady. Claudio is adorably lovestruck. Benedick is charmingly macho, and Beatrice's sharp tongue is softened by her looks. But it is the dimwitted constable Dogberry and his female watchman who steal the show with their sidesplitting scenes. Upstart Productions wants to shake things up, just a little bit. "We believe that a work of art can be profound without being pretentious, creative without being confusing, and brainy without being boring," they say on their website. "This show is going to be part of a school tour that we're planning for this school year. We want to take this from school to school in Metro Manila and various provinces around the country," says Trinidad, who is a founding member of Silly People's Improv Theater. Surely, there's plenty of biting wit that students can pick up from the play, and of course, they will learn something too. For instance: meddling in other people's business is bad. Or maybe: if it's meant to be, not even a scheming troublemaker like Don John can keep you apart. Either way, the play isn't just a play. "We have educational components that accompany the show, like free teaching aids and souvenir programs," concluded Trinidad. - YA, GMA News All photos courtesy of Upstart Productions. For more information, please call their office at 9646562.