Strawdog Theatre Company Presents: Much Ado: The Ides REunion Episode Review

The cast of Much Ado: The Ides Reunion Episode

Strawdog Theatre Company Presents MUCH ADO: THE IDES REUNION EPISODE Review - Look Out Love Island, This Season’s Hottest Singles Are at Burke’s

TLDR: Strawdog Theatre brings us an immersive and experiential production of Shakespeare’s classic Much Ado About Nothing. Set in Burke’s Public House in Edgewater, audience members sit in the bar as actors play around them as the company also brings in some tech elements to create a reality TV show setting.

The Cameras Are Rolling at Strawdog

We take our seats in the back room at Burke’s. We order a drink, maybe some food, and enjoy some pre-show conversations. Behind the bar, a cameraman sets up a DSLR looking camera pointing out over the crowd and another stands in the middle of the room, looking down at the recording screen of his video camera.

Oh, we think to ourselves. They must be recording the show tonight. Then the lights go out. The TV screens previously playing local sports go dark. Upbeat theme music starts to play and a title screen with neon pink text flashes across, “Much Ado: The Ides Reunion Show.” It seems this isn’t going to be just a play set in the bar. 

The actors enter and begin acting throughout the space in front of us patrons. The two camera men are armed and ready. They walk around the cast filming them and then their shots are live streamed on the TVs above us. We get close-ups, over the shoulder angles, and wide shots making it feel like we’re in a reality TV show episode where the cameras are always rolling. Strawdog even manages to turn the soliloquies into the quintessential talking head interviews, iconic to reality shows. And when we get that happy ending we feel like we get that classic 90s freeze frame and the credits start rolling on the TV.

Acting Throughout the Space

Paring down the list of characters to just the main players, our cast enters from the front bar to the back one. Benedick and Claudio (Brett Garrett and Andrew Greiche) take to the center in between tables and Beatrice and Hero (Maureen Azzun and Lynsy Folckomer) follow behind and take seats at the bar, oblivious to the two men behind them. The cast uses the space to their advantage, embracing the bar setting. They pour themselves drinks, invite other actors to come sit with them at a table while other action happens on the other end, even using the exit and acting outside the bar when necessary. 

Garrett mixes in physical comedy with the jokes in the dialogue, finding those moments to get big laughs as Benedick. Greiche sits mournfully at the bar, eyes rimmed red at finding out about Hero’s death. Then in true Love Is Blind fashion, throws some eye drops in to make a better crying scene asking for her forgiveness. At finding out his daughter may be caught in a scandal, Adam J. Hyde rages against everyone, his voice carrying gravitas and fury as he yells above patrons heads. Folckomer has an It Girl vibe with pink butterfly clips in her hair as she coaxes Beatrice to have fun and dance. We feel the emotional changes in Beatrice as Azzun plays her as everything from sarcastic, to heartbroken, to giddily flirting with an anonymous texter.

The After Party Thoughts

Much Ado About Nothing feels like the perfect play to make into a reality TV show episode. There’s so much relationship drama in the play that everyone else is causing that in itself feels like a reality show. So I loved that Strawdog saw the opportunity and ran with it and think the concept is really clever. 

There were some standout performances by Garrett, Azzun, and Hyde as they deliver their lines like they have been trained in Shakespeare theatre for years and we felt the most engaged with them. Not to say the other actors didn’t also deliver a fun performance, only that these three had me easily following the Shakespearean text with their emotive deliveries. 

For the performance we went to, there were definitely some tech issues like either the sound or video stream wasn’t working when it needed to be. But I think that was also caught by the production and hopefully they work through those issues for future shows!

All in all, the concept of transforming a Shakespearean romantic comedy of errors into a reality show brought a fun, new take on a classic. For those that aren’t fans of immersive theater or prefer traditional Shakespeare, this might not be the show for you. But if you love creative twists on Shakespeare’s work, want a quick and fun show for an evening out, or just love dinner and a show, Much Ado: The Ides Reunion Episode would be a good fit for you!

RECOMMENDED

Andrew Greiche and Lynsy Folckomer

When

Now through March 26, 2025

Where

Burke’s Public House

5401 N Broadway

Chicago, IL 60640

Runtime: 1hr 15min, including an intermission

Tickets

$20+

Tickets can be purchased through the Strawdog Theatre website

Photos

Courtesy of Strawdog Theatre

Find Allie and The After Party featured on Theatre in Chicago

CAST

Maureen Azzun (Beatrice)

Brett Garrett (Benedick)

Andrew Greiche (Claudio)

Lynsy Folckomer (Hero) 

Adam J. Hyde (Leonato)

Wesley Hutchinson (Conrade)

Kamille Dawkins (Don John)

CREATIVE

Mike Dailey (Adapter)

Noah Elman (Director)
Heath Hays (Sound Designer)

Kyle Hamman (Video Designer)

Jo-Anna Lee (Stage Manager)