'Much Ado About Nothing' has eclectic mix of modern and Renaissance hits

Abington Friends School's production of Much Ado About Nothing was a delightful, jazz-era twist on a Shakespearean classic.

As the play opens, the prince Don Pedro has just returned from quelling a rebellion headed by his nefarious brother, Don John. With fellow soldiers Benedick and Claudio in tow, the prince decides to rest and watch over his brother at the house of the influential Leonato. Don John is bitter he was thwarted, and when Claudio falls for Leonato's daughter Hero he conspires to break up the couple. Meanwhile, Benedick and Leonato's niece Beatrice continue to deny their love for each other, but they are drawn together by their jolly companions.

Jonah Aamodt played Benedick, and his comic delivery and body language captured the essence of the sardonic bachelor. He was countered by Sophie Cameron as Beatrice, who excelled at fluctuating between the sweet, enthusiastic niece that Hero loved and the cutting siren Benedick faced. The chemistry—or affected lack of it—between the pair drove the first act, and the performers seized the comic opportunities that abounded as Beatrice and Bendick tried to conceal their attachment. Dreyton Lomax was the young prince Don Pedro, and he brought a swagger and a smile to the confident, matchmaking royal. Comic relief was headed by Dogberry (Eli Russell) and the watch, a bumbling group of concerned citizens turned constables who worried more about politeness than police procedure.

During the intermissions, Cora Pokrifka led Baltha and the Czars, a singing group that serenaded the audience with an eclectic mix of modern and Renaissance hits. The pieces were student arranged, and a standout was the a capella performance of Edward Sharpe's "Home." Corey Naitove's lighting design was also impressive, and worked well with the fabulous 1920s makeup and hair.

Abington's production of Much Ado About Nothing brought levity to Shakespeare's late-century triumph, and ended up something special indeed.