A feast of wit and verve

Much Ado About Nothing is something to see when North Lake College Theatre presents William Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy next week.

The play is produced by Alice Butler, who runs the theatre department, and Valerie Hauss-Smith returns as the visiting director. Tory Padden designed the costumes, reusing many from past Shakespeare productions.

Sparkling with witty dialogue, Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare's most enjoyable and theatrically successful comedies. Set in Messina, an island on the coast of Sicily, the plot revolves around deception, the battle between the sexes, and infidelity.

The set looks like you could be walking down a Sicilian street to the city's center. The cast is upbeat and fun, while working in a setting of charming buildings in the background, cobblestone-like streets, and the beautiful fountain at stage left.

Misti Franklin, who is playing the role of Leonata, said that the wedding scene was a challenge due to the "higher levels of drama amidst so much happy." And while wearing the heavy costume gets warm on stage, she loved the big dresses and hairstyles.

Hauss-Smith has done a great job in making Shakespeare understandable, she said.

The play is free in the Performance Hall Oct. 28-31, with a preview performance Oct. 27. The curtian raises at 8 p.m., but get there by 7:30 to ensure great seats, as a full house is expected each night.