Much Ado About Nothing - Shakespeare in Lismore Castle

Last Monday night the long-awaited annual play from the touring UK company, Off the Ground, was held in the courtyard of Lismore Castle. This is their 15th year and they have been coming to Lismore for a number of years as part of their Irish open-air tour. They are a troupe from England who are extremely professional and innovative and they bring the classics to the masses, ensuring that their interpretations have universal appeal to all ages.

This year they did Shakespeare's great comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, but not as you know it! This was no mediaeval Italian court setting, rather it was a High Society 1930s setting, with tuxedos and floral frocks in abundance.

The evening can frequently be hijacked by our inclement weather, but this year we were lucky as it stayed warm and dry, if dull. So the blankets and umbrellas weren't needed, though they were brought along by the punters who knew - from bitter experience - to be prepared for all eventualities.

The audience come from far and wide, with many children who sit on the ground at the edge of the "stage". Many bring picnic hampers and lots of dainty crackers and cheese with wine, so posh nosh is much in evidence, as we try to recreate a mini-Glyndebourne experience in Lismore.

As I am always rushing after work my basket tends to have a mix of whatever snacks are around the house, and perhaps a stop at the shop en route for the sugar rush snacks favoured by whatever kids are coming along with teen daughter like packets of crisps - Tayto or Pringles - that crackle embarrassingly during the performance, bars of chocolate and pick'n'mix sweets, and cartons of orange juice. The girls brought a duvet and pillows to sit on, and wraps and sweatshirts to keep the midges at bay.



As you can see from the photos and video clip, the play was not as the Bard intended, with its modern setting and the interspersing with song and dance routines, but it is a perfect evening's entertainment, with everyone joining in the fun, and at the last dance the whole audience was up dancing with the cast. They remain true to the script and it all works - so you never really think that this was intended for an Italian Court setting, with aristocracy from that period.

The great thing about Off the Ground is that they really engage with the audience and make the often scary classics accessible to all. They are a young troupe and the same core members are now like old friends, and we look forward to the show every year. I have been introduced to Shakespeare plays that I would otherwise never have seen or known the storyline of, and many other greats as well. Last year's play was Cyrano de Bergerac, the year before The Merry Wives of Windsor, and others have included Twelfth Night, Robin Hood, Swing in The Willows, and King Arthur and the Round Table.

If they come your way, make the effort to see them as you will be richly rewarded. If it is in the setting like Lismore Castle or another of the eclectic settings they visit in Ireland, it's an added bonus. Either way, wrap up well, bring a bit of food and a drink, and sit back to enjoy a great evening.