TV Preview: 'ShakespeaRe-Told'
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In the centuries Shakespeare has reigned as the Western world's most famous dramatist, his plots have proven a popular quarry for imitation. That's only fair, since he himself stole plots wherever he could find them, from plays, poems, biographies and the Greek and Roman classics.
So BBC America follows Shakespeare's own precedent in "ShakespeaRe-Told," four made-for-TV movies based on "Much Ado About Nothing," "Macbeth," "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Taming of the Shrew." The dialogue and situations are contemporary, but, as did Shakespeare, the BBC scriptwriters have lifted the plots pretty much whole. The difference is that whereas Shakespeare eclipsed his sources, the BBC adaptations depend for much of their fun on our recognizing just how Shakespeare's plots have been handled,
In other words, the BBC co-opts an established brand name, the very fame of the source adding an important layer of pleasure.
At least, this is how it works for anyone who already knows the Shakespeare play that's adapted, though I suppose someone who doesn't will simply react as to any original TV movie. And I can't really speak for all four shows, because so far I've seen just the first, airing at 7 p.m. Aug. 6, "Much Ado About Nothing."
In scriptwriter David Nicholls' very contemporary creation, the famously feuding Beatrice and Benedick have become co-anchors ("presenters," the British say) of a local news show. They and the weather girl, Hero, retain their Shakespearean names. But Claudio becomes sportscaster Claude, and there is some fun in catching the other transpositions, such as demoted director Don for Don John, station boss Leonard for Leonato and comic cop Mr. Berry for Dogberry. It is also fun to see what modern parallels Nicholls creates, as well as what use Shakespeare could have made of cell phones, open microphones and designer coffee.
The story, you will recall, centers on a double love-trickery. Hero's and Claude's wedding is cruelly broken off by Claude's gullibility, stirred by the vengeance of disappointed lover Don. Meanwhile, both spit-fires, Beatrice and Benedick, have been tricked by their friends into believing the other one loves them, contrary appearances notwithstanding, thereby releasing the true love that each does feel.
Only with the tricking of Claude and his denunciation at the wedding does Nicholls' treatment veer sharply from his model: the former is more realistic than in Shakespeare, and the slandered Hero gets to speak up for herself. As pure plotting, I suppose this is an improvement, necessitated by our more enlightened view of women, but it does turn the end of the TV show more toward sentiment and deprives us of the general celebration that's an essential end to Shakespearean comedy.
To Nicholls' credit, another pleasure he provides for the knowing is occasional snippets of the original text, as when Beatrice and Benedick first meet or when Benedick decides love is possible. And he makes very clever use of Shakespeare's Sonnet 116, a recourse unavailable to Shakespeare.
Major added comedy comes from mild parody of the faux news program, "Wessex Tonight." There isn't much concession to American ears, by the way: some asides are hard to pick up, and some allusions seem arcane.
Beatrice and Benedick are played with appropriate wit by Sarah Parish and Damian Lewis, the star of HBO's "Band of Brothers." Billie Piper (from the current incarnation of "Doctor Who") and Tom Ellis are Hero and Claude, with Anthony O'Donnell as Mr. Berry. Pittsburgh favorite Martin Jarvis ("By Jeeves" at Pittsburgh Public Theater) plays an avuncular Leonard.
Shakespeare's plots resonate, which is one reason he's lasted. But I wouldn't say, as does Kathryn Mitchell, general manager of BBC America in a press packet, that these adaptations themselves show "Shakespeare is as relevant today as he has always been." The continued force of Shakespeare today is in his conjunction of plot with character, emotion and especially words (not to mention reputation). With the words missing, you can hardly call it Shakespeare.
The three adaptations to come turn "Macbeth" (Aug. 13) into the tragedy of an ambitious chef who takes over his boss' restaurant, "Midsummer" (Aug. 20) into a night full of hi-jinks and revelations at a woodsy family resort and "Shrew" (Aug. 27) into the comedy of a ruthless female politician and her drunken suitor.
Meanwhile, Shakespeare's heirs are seeking royalties.
When: 7 p.m. Aug. 6, BBC America.
First Published August 6, 2006 12:00 am
