list.co.uk/fi lm Feature | FILM
WILL POWER
After commandeering superheroes in Avengers Assemble, Joss Whedon has turned to Shakespeare. Hannah McGill speaks to the writer and tation of Much Ado About Nothing director about his low-key adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing
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T o with h h knowledge of both d and Shakespeare m Joss Whedon, it won’t seem e like a culture clash for the y man behind Firefly, Buffy e and Avengers Assemble o take on Much Ado to - About Nothing. Rapid- fire gender warfare and even the odd rhyming couplet have long been part of the Whedon oeuvre. Brought up by theatre- oriented’ parents, he read Shakespeare ‘before I got most of it, because I’m a entually, pretentious little twat. Eventually, i ’ the enjoyment overtook the pretension.’
repartee, ‘very
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His passion was encouraged when he studied at Winchester College in the UK, and later, he and his wife, Kai Cole, indulged it further by holding Shakespeare readings in their Santa Monica home. The eventual result – a playful sideline while Whedon recovered from the rigours of Avengers Assemble – is Much Ado: a blithe, bracing, modern dress version of a beloved but somewhat problematic play, starring many of his friends and frequent collaborators. Whedon acknowledges that the film was partly spurred by a desire to change the thinking of those who might hold the Bard in low regard. ‘You do want to say, “look, it’s not all starched collars and ruffles and minuets: it’s alive, and it’s exciting!” But you can’t go in with a mission. And if I was really out to convert high schoolers, I might not have had quite so much drinking in the film . . . ’
The element of Much Ado that lends itself easily to contemporary interpretation is the blissfully spiky courtship of Beatrice and Benedick, played here by Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof. More awkward is the parallel story of whether or not bride-to-be Hero (Jillian Morgese) has compromised her virginity. Manipulated by his friends – whom Whedon describes as ‘fratboys’ – her fiancé Claudio (Fran Kranz) is first disturbingly credulous on the matter, and then disturbingly cruel. ‘I don’t think I understood at first how the nasty, dark stuff fitted with the delightful fluffy love and the funny snarky banter,’ Whedon agrees. ‘And I don’t know if I hold out much hope for that relationship. It’s a bit of a buy that it’s all going to be fine.’ But so it often is with Shakespeare’s romances. Was he a cynic when it came to love? ‘Joseph Fiennes notwithstanding, I think he was. He took apart conventions of love that
‘It’s not all starched collars and rufl es: it’s alive and exciting’
are still part of our culture.’ ulture.’ Having actors who were confident ho were confident as critical in making with the language was critical in making ome were experienced sense of the text. Some were experienced rmers, others ‘terrified’ Shakespearean performers, others ‘terrified’ on knew what he needed. newcomers, but Whedon knew what he needed. cause I knew I had the ‘I made the film because I knew I had the o it,’ he says. ‘Stages, people who could do it,’ he says. ‘Stages, ose are the people that I sitcoms and soaps: those are the people that I can learn a lot fast and pursue, because they can learn a lot fast and c.’ they have a work ethic.’ another significant that another significant Much Ado was a element of making Much Ado was a against Hollywood’s statement of defiance against Hollywood’s nwriter. ‘My whole sidelining of the screenwriter. ‘My whole ement in defiance life has been a statement in defiance ighs. ‘You know of that,’ Whedon sighs. ‘You know s in Hollywood? there are writer jokes in Hollywood? o sleeps with the The dumb actress who sleeps with the made up: how writer? Here’s one I made up: how ake to screw in a many writers does it take to screw in a n. ‘ONE.’ lightbulb?’ He leans in. ‘ONE.’ One senses
Much Ado About Nothing is on othing is on selected release from Fri 14 om Fri 14 ge 62. Jun. See review, page 62.
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