'Much Ado' about the beautiful game in Stratford: Hurtwood at the RSC

Football and Shakespeare: not the most promising rom-com combo, you might presume? Yet mass entertainment meets high culture here, and it works.  Yes, it really does.  In a highly watchable modern staging of Much Ado About Nothing, Hurtwood’s very own Antonio Magro does us proud, as new life is breathed into that old, old story of the war of the sexes. Turns out that perennial battle between men and women for mutual love and respect (or is that just sex and power?) slips readily into the world of international celebrity footballers and their Wags, a world that is as tawdry and vulgar as it is glossy and fascinating.

This top-drawer RSC production finds surprising and even illuminating connections with the sixteenth century world of sparring military factions enjoying some post-battle rest and recreation.  Unapologetic in its harnessing of our contemporary world, mobile phones and laptops abound, texts and social media commentary aid, rather than grate, and screen visuals help explain the often convoluted and challenging plot strands and mechanisms, and yes, keep us entertained.  At heart a love story, the plot pivots on the age-old assumption that marriage is a trap – for men at least – and women are most definitely the weaker sex and not to be trusted, with ‘weaker’ here implying a moral not physical judgement.  On one level it’s a tale of everyday misogyny and male cruelty (in Othello, Shakespeare gives us the tragic version) but this, thank heavens, is comedy, and the men get a second chance to redeem themselves, and the women choose forgiveness.  Oh happy day. The lovers various flirt, fight, and reconcile for our delectation and enjoyment, strutting their stuff, teetering on vertiginous heels.  There are enough curves and cleavage, as well as finely toned and tattooed male flesh on show to, ahem, focus attention; more tulle and sequins to tick the sparkle box.  But here’s the thing: the language.  Will’s all-encompassing world of witty repartee, the psychological truths, the insecurities and vanities of the human condition, the foolishness and the freshness: they are firmly at the heart of things. And Antonio? Well, his love of The Bard, his handling of the complex intricacies of language, stand him in good stead here. Over his pay grade as head of security, his character Dogberry is the archetypal forerunner of Mr Bean, an opinionated buffoon, whose greatest skill is turning words on their heads, and making mayhem, mishearing accurate insults as generous compliments.  Antonio is clearly having a ball as the presumptuous, bumptious simpleton, out of his depth and with delusions of – well not quite grandeur, let’s just say adequacy – amidst these self-important footballers.  His performance galvanised our laughter and even invited a little sympathy for his naive self-absorption.  This is a really enjoyable show, which sadly is not transferring to London, (pipped to the post by a more ‘star-studded’ production) so catch it while you can over the next few weeks in Stratford.  You won’t be disappointed. 

It was a joy to catch up with Antonio, whose passion for Shakespeare has not waned over the years, and who would love to bring back that commitment to Hurtwood in some kind of professional capacity at some point in the future.  He has a number of irons in the fire; indeed, this very week he is running out his new venture, Class Act, which aims to take in-character actors into schools for literal interaction and immersion. Shakespeare will feature highly, of course, opening with Macbeth and his overweening ambition.

An extra bonus in a Stratford outing has been reconnecting with another extraordinary Hurtwood alumna, Daisy Lee, whom Antonio coached during her Theatre Studies A-level, a little over ten years ago.  In that short time, she has already achieved the position of one of only four producers for the RSC at Stratford, and tasked with overseeing the annual celebration of Shakespeare’s death.  She was delighted, she told me, to invite Antonio to read Sonnet 23 over the grave of the great man himself. 

It has been a pleasure – as ever – to celebrate Hurtwood talent thoroughly enjoying itself and making the most of their creativity.  Daisy has generously made time to explain her onward journey from A-level student with us, to her role at Stratford.  (Her brilliant insight and advice is the substance of an upcoming After Hurtwood interview, so watch this space.)  Meanwhile, in a troubled world of political and global turmoil, it has been a joy to revel in the entertaining relevance – still – of Shakespeare’s celebration of our glorious foolishness.  And of course the proposition that if there is an answer, it just might be love.   I’ll applaud that.