When I was in the ninth grade having to read Shakespeare and no less understand it was not fun.  I realize now that I just wasn’t mature enough to understand all the complexities of human nature coupled with Shakespeare’s use of the English language which he demands that the listener understand.

Well, the other evening, yeah! I found my redemption.

I had the good fortune to see The Theater Project’s Resident Company, TP &Co. present a very contemporary version of Much Ado About Nothing at The Players Theater (www.theplayerstheater.com ), 115 MacDougal Street, New York, New York.

I totally enjoyed the play and after a while I didn’t even know that I was listening to Shakespearean English. Wow!!!

So why was that?

Well, as to the plot, Much Ado About Nothing is basically a story which revolves around two couples and their particular style of romance and “falling in love.”

Built into those two romantic stories are deceit, lies and a very miserable guy who wants to ruin things and almost does. Some things never changeSoLOL!   But of course, all ends well and the culprits are caught and both marriages finally take place!

So I think that to understand why the play “sounded” so contemporary that I need to share some of the photos from several scenes of the play which began with a taped announcement of our  recent government shut down.

So yes, we meet these very contemporary looking characters (as seen below!) who live with this very contemporary furniture, in a very contemporary southern town and who speak very Shakespearean English with a very heavy southern accent!

So as you can see from these photos, Shakespeare became Southspeare and coupled with the use of contemporary music, masqueraded dancing and at many times acted out as a droll-type of TV sit- com,  this production of Much Ado About Nothing  really “transcended” the more typical Shakespearean theater experience and a really good time was had by all!

So if you want a really enjoyable, easy to roll with evening, click HERE, buy yourself a ticket and find out more about this wonderful theater company.