Being a comedy, Much Ado About Nothing gives
those who direct it a great opportunity to make the audience laugh. Just as the
performance put on in Centrál Theatre, directed by Tamás Puskás did so. I would
not say the production tries to present anything new or particularly deep but
the task that it takes on as a comedy is fully achieved. Perhaps the best
witness to this is the audience who cheered on during the entire performance.
The two scenes I consider to be really important
in the play and in its theatrical or filmic adaptations are the ones where both
Beatrice and Benedick overhear their intriguing friends and family who try to
unite the two proud characters by giving them a little push in the right
direction. What the production in Centrál does with these two scenes is worth
reflecting on.
First, there is the scene with Benedick that
went beyond my expectations. It is extremely funny and smart as well. Although
I cannot fully grasp the idea behind the setting of the winter garden just yet,
one thing is certain, the overhearing scenes show that the chosen setting functions
really well. Benedick, played by Zoltán Schmied, hides behind every bush in the
garden while losing his blanket that gets stuck on a bench. However, after
there is nowhere to hide anymore he takes a dive into a small pond. He
reappears soaking wet on stage contemplating what to do with the information he
now has, when he realises there is a little fish stuck in his shirt and throws
it back into the pond. All these little turns make the scene really memorable
and hilarious. Zoltán Schmied is aided in this scene by the actors playing Don
Pedro, Claudio and Leonato, whose outstanding performances and scheming skills
contribute to the scene becoming so comic. 
Secondly, Beatrice’s overhearing scene on its
own functions fine in the performance though it is not as funny and exciting as
Benedick’s scene is or as it could have been. Just remember Éva Almási’s
memorable scene in Tamás Szirtes’s production where Beatrice hides behind
curtains and climbs that ladder.
Here, Beatrice, played by Lia Pokorny, crawls on the stage and hides anywhere
she can just like Benedick does but overall the scene becomes a bit flat. Though
supporting characters such as Ursula’s still gives the audience a great deal to
laugh about. Furthermore, Pokorny’s reaction to what she overhears is golden.
Her face expressing surprise, faint and shock at the same time really gives a
plus to the closing of the scene.
In conclusion, even though, compared to one
another the two overhearing scenes may not be equally funny so to say; both Pokorny
and Schmied give outstanding performances in Puskás’s production. Both actors
were excellent choices for the roles and they show great chemistry on stage as
well. Their love story puts Hero and Claudio’s narrative in the shade. Schmied
and Pokorny give life to their characters and make them so loveable that it
becomes impossible not to root for the couple to finally overcome their pride
and give over to love.
The
photos are taken from Centrál Theatre’s web page: http://centralszinhaz.hu/component/ohanah/sok-hho-semmiert-1?Itemid=1331
