Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Adaptation Week: Nothing Much To Do

My favorite of all Shakespeare comedies is Much Ado about Nothing.  I've reviewed it, talked about the Josie Rourke production, and immensely enjoyed Joss Whedon's take on it last year.  But when I heard about a web-series adaptation of it over a month ago, I was a bit skeptical [Ok... I think I always start out a bit skeptical about these things].

But after following Nothing Much To Do for several weeks now, I have to say that it's one of my favorite current webseries!

[Via their Facebook]

"Let me explain.  No there's no time; let me sum up."  Here's the synopsis:
Set in a contemporary New Zealand high school. 'Nothing Much To Do' follows the life of Beatrice as she navigates her way through a new city with the help of her best friend and favourite cousin Hero, her school friends, and her ever frustrating rival, Benedick.
The show's creators are "The Candle Wasters" - a team of four young women: Claris Jacobs, Elsie Bollinger, Minnie Grace, and Sally Bollinger.  They write, direct, and produce while their talented and colorful cast carry out the show brilliantly!  Using a very realistic vlogging style, this team is telling the story of Much Ado about Nothing across 3 YouTube channels and some transmedia content - particularly Beatrice's twitter.  But you can catch the whole thing in this one playlist, which makes it delightfully easy.

[Hero and Beatrice - via]
Thanks to Shakespeare's source material and many of the simply genius maneuvers by the Candle Wasters, there is much to love about this adaptation.  For Starters, Americans like myself can't help but love the New Zealand accents!  And I have to say that the "international" feel makes the classic Shakespearean names more palatable.

On top of that, the casting is top notch and the setting of "Messina High" works perfectly!  Beatrice, played by Harriet Maire, is a perfectly believable vlogger - witty, part self-deprecating, more-parts confident of her own perspective.  Benedick, Jake McGregor, is both odd-ball British Whovian and someone desperate to get a laugh from his friends, Pedro and Claudio.  Leo becomes Hero's older brother. Dogberry and Verges have their own Sherlock-styled channel, "The Watch."  And after a successful "Vote for Pedro" campaign (yes!), Pedro Donalson becomes Student Body President of Messina High.  So, of course, he hosts a costume party at his place - cue the masquerade!

Like other successfully transmuted adaptations, NMTD walks the fine line of being self-referential without being self-absorbed.  In one early video, which also serves as the cast's introduction, they have Balthazar quote a line from Mumford and Sons which is in fact inspired by... Much Ado.  They've worked in several of the original lines or at least original arguments - most notably in Benedick's episode "Olives" based on the original lines from II.3.209-210 "but doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age."  This is the type of adaptation that causes Shakespeare devotees to flip back through their yellowed paperback and still inspires new-comers to maybe look into what all this "ado" is about.

[Much Ado - Mumford - Nothing Much To Do]
One of my favorite things about any adaptation is how they will portray "gray areas."  For example, in Much Ado, Pedro famously asks Beatrice, "Will you have me, lady?" - which some play as a jest and others as an honest proposal.  Either way, Beatrice laughs off the question, though, again, her lines can be read either way.  The team on NMTD plays this out excellently in one of my favorite episodes of the series: "All Around Great Guy."  In so doing, they encourage me to think they will handle other moments well.

Another strength of the show thus far has been the high-school depictions.  Up until now, the majority of web-series I've been following feature all post-high school characters with post-high school problems (Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Autobiography of Jane Eyre, Emma Approved, Classic Alice, New Adventures of Peter and Wendy).  But NMTD features intelligent, rather emotionally developed teenagers - which is a refreshing representation.  But it also captures little ticks about teens in a current way:  Beatrice admires pictures of Benedict Cumberbatch, Hero is caught reading The Fault in our Stars, the characters reference several contemporary bands, the slang feels natural, and where Hero wears Top Shop, Beatrice sports a Grumpy Cat T-shirt.  These are tumblr-ific teens.  They are smart. They are aware. And they have wonderful character arcs ahead of them. 

So is Nothing Much To Do all "hey nonny nonny"?  Well, yes.  But while I love it, I have to mention that - being Shakespeare - this adaptation is far from PG.  But for more mature audiences, this is an incredible take on a classic tale.  I look forward to seeing how they tackle certain plot points like Hero's "death" and the "weddings" as those will prove to be tricky.  But I have been loving everything so far.  Cheers and keep up the excellent work.

If I've sufficiently peaked your interest, start here:


And if you're looking for something slightly different, consider one of the other web-series adaptations I've reviewed: Classic Alice and Emma Approved.

8 comments:

  1. You made this web series sound so brilliant that I had to check it out! I've only watched 5 videos so far (because I don't want to rush through it) but it looks incredibly promising :) I love the actresses that they've picked for Beatrice and Hero. They're great, their chemistry is great, and they actually look like they could be related! I was confused by Benedick's "bird" video though. It's been quite a while since I've read/watched the play but I don't remember any bird incidents from it! Is it supposed to mean something or are they just trying to establish that he's quirky? Maybe I'm reading too much into it!

    Much Ado is my favourite Shakespeare comedy too :) I don't know if I've already mentioned it but I got to see the Josie Rourke production live. We were literally right at the back of the theatre but it was a fantastic experience. I keep meaning to watch the Digital Theatre broadcast of the play so I can refresh my memory of it. And I really want to see the Joss Whedon and Kenneth Branagh movies too.

    Where do you keep finding out about all of these great web series? So far I've seen LBD, EA, AoJE, Classic Alice (Thanks I loved that one too!) and School of Thrones. I don't recommend SoT even though it's got Mary Kate Wiles in it. It's a Game of Thrones parody that's set in an American high school but the humour will go right over your head if you haven't seen the show. To be honest, I didn't find it very funny and I *have* seen the show! I've also seen The Nick Carraway Chronicles and Notes by Christine (a Phantom of the Opera vlog) and the acting in those vlogs was, erm, well, yeah...

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    1. Hannah, I've found the facebook group "Book to Tube" very helpful. They're run by the same group as "Socially Awkward Darcy" and "Knightley Disapproved." They even have a list of adapted web series here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/book-to-tube/list-of-literary-web-series/571311672966501

      I believe I discovered NMTD from my friend Stephanie, but I can't quite remember. Sometimes YouTube just suggests things based on what I'm watching. I'm so glad you're loving it. I have to confess that I too am puzzled by the bird video. At first I thought it was euphemism...but then realized, Oh my word he did actually kill all of these birds. I might have to do some more research into the meaning behind that.

      A couple other webseries I've been watching and enjoyed are: New Adventures of Peter and Wendy, Shipwrecked's Kissing in the Rain, and I'm still getting into Green Gables Fables. Another on may radar, officially coming later this year, is March Family Letters, who already have some of their transmedia up and running. I agree with you on School of Thrones. But it's an exciting time for Web Series!

      And I can't believe you saw the Josie Rourke production!! Do you remember which day you saw it? I only ask because I was in London for part of its run, but it was sadly sold out. How funny if we had been in London at or around the same time! And also, after seeing her Coriolanus as well, Josie Rourke is becoming my favorite Shakespearean stage director.

      Always grateful to read your insightful comments :D

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  2. Yes, it was the very last day of its run! The 3rd of September 2011 :) I'd call Josie Rourke my favourite Shakespeare stage director too but then I still haven't seen very many Shakespeare stage productions. I'm desperately hoping that there'll be a live broadcast of Benedict Cumberbatch's Hamlet. It's my favourite Shakespeare play, Hamlet is my favourite Shakespearean character and of course I love Benedict! I don't hold very much hope of seeing it live. The tickets will be really expensive and they'll sell out fast.

    Thanks for the link! I have seen Thug Notes which can be pretty hilarious. I'm interested in watching Green Gables Fables but I want to read Anne of Green Gables before I do. Yes, I've never read Anne of Green Gables before! *gasp!* :D It's the same with A Tell Tale Vlog. I want to watch it but I also want to read more of Edgar Allan Poe's writings before I do because I think I'll get more out of it. I love what I've read of Poe so far so I'm really looking forward to reading more of his stuff.

    Aw, thank you! Ooh, I'm going to The Eagle and Child next Saturday! My best friend has moved to Abingdon which is near Oxford. I'm spending the day in Oxford with her then I'm going back to hers for the night. I asked her to take me to The Eagle and Child :) I've never actually been before.

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    1. Oh wow - it's last day!! Well, I had left England by then, but that's just splendid. And that's so exciting about your upcoming visit to Oxford. They should be coming up on "Alice Day" soon... I actually lived in Abingdon when I was studying at Magdalen. Have fun at "The Bird and Babe"! Ah, I miss Oxford so much - snap a picture for me if you can :)

      Confession - I haven't read Anne of Green Gables either :| My mom read it when she was pregnant with me and I am just convinced that it altered my personality :P but I've never gotten into it myself. Someday...

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  3. I understand "The Bird and Babe" reference now! :D I was thinking of you a lot during the last weekend because I instinctively associate Oxford with you now. I really hope that doesn't sound creepy!

    I'm all caught up with Nothing Much To Do now and oh my word I love it! I definitely like it more than AOJE and EA. It might even be on a par with the LBD for me if it carries on being as good as it is! get properly excited when I watch it. You should see my reactions. I have a beaming smile, I laugh out loud, I flail my hands. I love it! :D

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    1. Yay! Oh my gosh this all makes me so happy. I hope you have some wonderful pictures or stories of your time in Oxford! Blog post?? It's funny, I actually had dear friends there last Friday as well.

      Oh I'm glad - I agree! While I'm loving some of the Knightley, Woodhouse chemistry in EA, this is probably the adapted web-series I'm enjoying most!! I'm so excited to see how they plan to tackle some of the issues later on in the story. And yay for the fangirling! :)

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  4. Well I'm not really a big photographer but I did take some pictures of the pub on my phone :) I'm planning on doing some kind of a Literary Places post at some point this year because I also went to the Sherlock Holmes Museum and I want to go to Sarehole Mill. It's this place in my town that Tolkien visited as a child. Tolkien's from my hometown. Cool right? :)

    I've answered your questions BTW. I thought you'd like to read my responses: http://missdaydreamersplace.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/the-answer-post-part-two.html

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  5. LOVE this, so true - "Like other successfully transmuted adaptations, NMTD walks the fine line of being self-referential without being self-absorbed. In one early video, which also serves as the cast's introduction, they have Balthazar quote a line from Mumford and Sons which is in fact inspired by... Much Ado. They've worked in several of the original lines or at least original arguments - most notably in Benedick's episode "Olives" based on the original lines from II.3.209-210 "but doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age." This is the type of adaptation that causes Shakespeare devotees to flip back through their yellowed paperback and still inspires new-comers to maybe look into what all this "ado" is about."

    ReplyDelete