lessin’ with Playhouse plays Shakespeare strictly for laughs Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, A Van- couver Playhouse production directed by Duncan Mcintosh, To March 13. taformation and reservations: 873-3311. Martin n Millerchip. THEATRE REVIEW HAKESPEAREAN DIRECTORIAL con- . ne’ cepts are wonderful targets for enlightened and erudite scholars, not to mention critics who might aspire to such learning. Mess with the bard and a world ‘of second guessers and armchair directors are waiting to mess with you, So why are we watching a pro- duction of Much Ado About Nothing set in the wings of an Italian opera house in 1918 during a performance of La Traviata set in © the'7870s? And all of this staged by a direc- tor who professes to often finding _productions of Shakespeare “very difficult to understand?”’ Duncan Mcintosh is on record in the program and elsewhere as believing the backstage at- ~. mosphere of hushed urgency, - unusual intimacy and suspension of natural order is a perfect .., backdrop for Much Ado. And he's right. It’s an inspired fnarriage in many ways. Shakespeare's prolific use. of “blank verse and hurtling pace of event create intimacy atid urgency while noble conversations are in- : terrupted with impunity by the - lowly wardrobe mistress. Where better to stage a play .. about love, laughter, honor and - revenge than an italian opera -” house? ‘Tempestuous eimotions that rise and fall quite suddenly -are right at home here. And in a play that turns on mis- taken identity’ where better to put | on the mask?’ It can even be argued that Much - Ado is itself composed in three . musical movements of exposition, “crisis and resolution. Except that Mcintosh is not looking to text analysis. “We have set out to try to allow yau to enjoy our production of Much Ado Abed Nothing more ‘than appreciate it,’’ he says in the program. I think he’s succeeded. | doubt it’s a success. if Lunderstand his stated intent correctly McIntosh wants to make Shakespeare accessible to the ma- jority, not a high-falutin’ minority. To this end we have the A 1435 Hi Believue ; * 926-5115 # Photo David Cooper SHAKESPEARE’S WITTIEST lovers, Beatrice (Camille Mitchell) and Benedick (John Moffat), take time out from hurling brickbats in the Vancouver Playhouse production of “Much Ado About Nothing.” - breathtaking spectacle of Pam Johnson’s set, Phillip Clarkson’s costumes and Adrian Muir's lights combining to dazzle us. We have the usually stiff and noble young lovers, Hero and Claudio, played as naive and shyly bumbling innocents. We have the most relaxed, un- military and friendly bunch of soldiers that ever went to war led by the friendliest giant of them all. And some nicely inventive com- ic business. - All of this works just fine. johnson’s set is her best work since Lie Of The Mind even if the location of some scenes is confus- ing. Clarkson's costumes are one more reason why Vancouver will doubtless lose his brilliant talents on such a regular basis, although his accuracy does not always flat- ter the women in the cast. And Muir, a new talent to the Playhouse, provides textual lighting of a quality that has not been seen since Macbeth. Jeffrey Renn in particular as Claudio and Corrine Koslo as Hero are as natural and unaffected as one could wish. Likewise Blu Mankuma’s Don Pedro and Lorena Gale's splendid Margaret, Norman Browning's self-impor- tant Dogberry is a malapropic masterpiece of unaware foolishness, while the comedy of hiding in plain sight has never been bettered. As if this weren’t enough there are the skills of Camille Mitchell and John Moffat topping everything off as the mutually at- tracted, acid-tongued opposites Beatrice and Benedick. All of this 1 enjoyed hugely, But to what end? | felt sorry for Weston McMillan, an experienced and capable actor. lf he knew what his Don Pedro was doing in this production it was beyond me. Sure, Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy, Sure, all the laughs are appropriate. But Shakespeare had something — to say about the world as his au- dience saw it. A world in which a man was judged on the basis of his wife's behavior. Whatever the interpretation, surely here is fertile ground in which to sow the odd mirror or two that we may know ourselves mare clearly. I don’t think Shakespeare would - have wanted his audience to leave the theatre guessing who doubled as the First Watchman. SER GORGE AG ERS GED MANN EAT OT SRS EY QE AE ER TAD SE POO b 980-1213 STEAK AND BBQ PRAWNS Only one coupon required per party) Soa Mates SEAFOOD RESTAURANT (6 oz. steak & 6 prawns) Offer ends 14/3/93 (Only redeemable with coupon. 998 Marine Dr., NVan. § Be NE SO Wednesday, March 3, 1993 - North Shore News - 419 7° peeamarmacent = manos emt) Ama North Vancouver City Library NOW HAS MODEM ACCESS Dial-up: 980-2680 Modem Configuration: BaudRate: Up to 9600 Parity: None Bits: 8 StopBits: 1 Duplex: Full Availability: . 24 hours, except for Thursday 9 p.m. to Friday 9 a.m. 121 West 14th Street 7 Public Hearing Zoning Bylaw Amendment A Public Hearing will be heid on Monday, March 8, 1993 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber, City Hall, 141] West 14th ’ Street, North Vancouver, B.C. to receive representations in connection with the following proposed amendments to the “City of North Vancouver Zoning Map” which isan integral part of “Zoning Bylaw 1967”: Bylaw No. 6370 To rezone Lot D, Block 32, D.L. 549, Plan 7550, located at 249 East 17th Street (indicated ist the hatched pattern on the map below) from RT-1 Two Family Residential Zone, to Comprehensive Development 238 Zone, to permit development of three 3-bedroom units on the site.. The amending bylaw will regulate the size, shape and siting of buildings and structures, off-street parking requirements, location and screening of refuse containers, and landscaping and maintenance.’ EAST 17TH STREET an EAST 16TH STREET acim APPLICANT: NIAD/DALLA-LANA ST. GEORGE'S aVE. ST. ANDREWS AYE. | Sp ALL PERSONS who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed Bylaw shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard— in person, by attorney, or by petition. The proposed bylaw and staff reports may be inspected at the office of the City Clerk between 8:36 a.m, and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (except Statutery Holidays) from FEBRUARY 22-MARCH8, 1993. Written submissions will be accepted up to and including MARCH 8, 1993 but submissions will NOT be accepted after the conclusion of the Public Hearing. NOTICE. of this Public Hearing is pursuant to Section 957 of the Municipal Act of British Columbia, ~ Bruce A. Hawkshaw “City Clerk The City of North Vancouver She Heart Sf You GCommuriity {ETS RMU