I enjoyed myself so much that I didn’t even take notes.  So I gotta wing it.  Improv typing?

All I really want to say is that the Park Players version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing was pretty darned terrific.  It’s way cool to go to Homewood Park and watch good theatre under an open sky.  It’s even better with a full house – and that’s what they had.  The townsfolk are discovering that our Park Players are inexpensive and F-U-N.

It was especially cool to see the finished performance after I got to watch the audition process.  It’s a bit like meeting a magician’s normal, unassuming rabbit and then – four months later – getting to watch how he twained that wascal.  I assume Director Hannah Wilkerson had everything to do with that.  Also, whoever is responsible for making it look like the cast is having fun and keeping an eye on spreading that fun to the audience: Keep it up.  The Park Players share a contagious kind of joy with the women of Sanspointe.

Without exception, the entire cast did very well, but there were a couple of standouts.  Kenny Morris was completely fearless as Benedick – over-the-top slapstick and silly while still maintaining a sweet disposition.  His scenes involving ever-likeable Clay Boyce (as Don Pedro) and the expressive Cris Morriss (as Claudio) were especially memorable.  In concentrated roles, Beth Ashton (as Cinder) radiated mordacity – a good word, right? – and Martha Crotty (as Antonia) provided an unexpected and excellent thump of fiery intensity.  Kudos to everyone for making the dancing scenes look fun, rather than forced.

At the show on Saturday, I came a little late and it was so full that I had to sit aaaaall the way down front.  There were also at least a couple of “enthusiastic” audience members somewhere behind me less-than-quietly making running commentary.  Surprisingly, instead of being annoyed, I kept laughing about it.  Back in Shakespeare’s day, I assume the crowds were raucous.  And the groundlings (stinkards?) would have been much louder and more involved.

Sitting down front made me want to hiss and boo every time Don John, Cinder, and Borachio came on stage.  Or throw tomatoes.  Or hold my hands up in with an enthusiastic thumbs down.  Or to WOOOoooo out loud every time Claudio and Hero or Benedick and Beatrice got all lovey-dovey.  Or to shout out in agreement what an ass Dogberry is.

How drunk would you have to get an otherwise very well-behaved Birmingham crowd to do this sort of thing?  They’ll do it at the Rocky Horror Picture Show with Brad and Janet – but I guess that’s a different thing entirely.  But does it have to be?  Maybe plant three or four or more groundlings in the audience as an unexpected part of next year’s Park Players show?  Set ‘em up with rude and boorish cues for entrances or exits for certain characters.  Let ‘em boo.  Heck, let ‘em throw stuff.  How fun would THAT be, once the audience realizes what’s going on and they’re only adding to the fun of the show?  Why not sprinkle in a little more “enthusiasm”?  The audience always is at least half the reason for going to a show, anyway, whether it’s quiet or noisy.

Much thanks to Hannah Wilkerson and the Park Players for dodging Alabama rainstorms and putting together a great theatre experience.  I’m looking forward to the upcoming performance of Noises Off.