Much Ado - Drury Lane
When a 21st birthday party in a club meets two celebrities and a voice that stops a whole crowd just so they can listen, that only begins to describe Much Ado at Drury Lane. The experience felt similar to a Beyoncé concert. Normally, I would love the raucous energy and excitement in the air, but at times it felt less invigorating and more outlandish for no real reason.
This production was largely a musical infused with Shakespeare. Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell playing the enemies-to-lovers trope felt almost absurd, though intentionally so. There was genuine humor in the moments between the side characters. Although Dogberry and Verges were not included in this rendition, that change finally answered a question I have always had: why did Margaret, who actually had sex, never speak up?
Then came Mason Alexander Park, the genius behind the voice. Their role in The Tempest at Drury Lane, also directed by Jamie Lloyd, seemed like a precursor to this production, only with a sharper edge. I first saw Mason in American Idiot, the Green Day musical, where they played the alter ego to the drug-using main character. Even then, Mason’s voice stood out as powerful and distinctive. It makes me wonder what aspects of their talent inspired Jamie Lloyd to keep casting them in such demanding roles. Reviews of The Tempest had already praised Mason extensively.
Hero, played by Mara Huf, and Claudio, played by James Phoon, brought a lighter tone to this version. While they had played lovers in The Tempest, their chemistry here felt more playful and friendly. It seemed as if everyone on stage trusted one another, each actor urging the others to be bolder and better with every flirtatious glance.
The transformation into party animals with oversized masks might have felt absurd, but it created a wild, electric atmosphere in the theatre. People were shouting and laughing with excitement. In one memorable moment, Tom said, “To come,” and a woman in the audience whispered back, “I am.” The entire room gasped and then erupted with laughter. The audience’s energy became part of the performance.
It made me wonder whether the cast’s ability to captivate the audience played a role in Mason being given a larger part, with more lines, in this rendition of Much Ado. What stood out most was how openly silly everyone was allowed to be. The production did not take itself seriously, and that made it all the more enjoyable.
The lighting design by Jon Clark created striking shadows against the large back wall of Drury Lane, blending beautifully with the art projected there. The set and costume design by Soutra Gilmour added an adventurous tone, especially in how Tom Hiddleston interacted with the space, from hiding under props to playfully ducking into the crowd’s gaze. The playful references to the Marvel Cinematic Universe through large cutouts seemed to be a cheeky nod to audience members who came for the MCU stars.
There were many moments when story and spectacle blurred together in ways that felt both chaotic and captivating. As the show came to a close and Mason’s music filled the theatre, Tom and Hayley spun around on stage as if caught in a final wave of energy. At the time, it felt fresh and spontaneous. But as clips from other performances later surfaced, it became clear that this ending, too, was carefully choreographed.
