Open Air Theatre
– Carlow Nationalist 28th August 2009
The sumptuous Lisnavagh House provided the ideal backdrop for an outdoor production of Shakespeare’s romantic classic Much Ado About Nothing earlier this month. Around 100 guests, laden with elaborate picnics, arranged themselves on the 160-year-old lawn that surrounds the Victorian Gothic Mansion.
Off The Ground theatre company was in Ireland for its twelfth visit and, according to Lisnavagh’s owners, the Bunbury family, the annual show is becoming more stylish with each passing year.
This production of Much Ado About Nothing was directed by Iona Farley and Dan Meigh who is also artistic director for the company.
The Shakespeare classic is about a pair of young lovers preparing for their wedding. To pass the time, Hero and Claudio conspire with the prince, Don Pedro, to trick their friends into confessing their love for one another.
As the temperature rises, the merry war of words between the lovely Beatrice and confirmed bachelor Benedick reaches new heights, as does Don John’s jealously as plans to sabotage the wedding.
Delighted with the success of the evening, William Bunbury said: “It was another excellent show from Off the Ground. The performance at Lisnavagh was packed with panache and romance surrounded by an audience of over 100, merrily enjoying their picnics and complimentary Irish coffees generously served by the Hot Irishman. We certainly look forward to devising further evenings of entertainment”.
