HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Hendersonville Theatre concludes their very funny take on William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” this weekend, with performances scheduled for 7 p.m. on April 24 and 3 p.m. on April 25-26. Find tickets here.

“Much Ado About Nothing” was directed by Quinn Terry and stars Sam Greene as Beatrice, Goober Berdine as Benedick, Amanda McLoughlin as Hero and Town Clerk, Naroé Palacios Cruz as Claudio, Joshua Kerber as The Prince, Aaron Ybarra as Margaret and Conrade, Rixa Clark as John and Verges, Molly Wilson as Borachio and Friar and Gina McDaniel as Dogberry and Balthasar.

Katie Ybarra served as stage manager and costume designer, with set design by Dakota Mann, lighting design by Mark Reeves, sound design by Terry, props by McLoughlin, intimacy choreography by Erin McCarson, fight choreography by Deanna Smith, dramaturgy by Luke Thompson and scenic art by Ybarra, Terry, Thompson and McLoughlin. Don Schwartz was construction crew chief, leading Doug Sparks, Earl Lang and Mann.

“Much Ado About Nothing” review

The “Much Ado Ab0ut Nothing” show I attended, on Saturday, April 18, was different from most of the run in that two leads were played by understudies: Beatrice by Quinn Terry and Claudio by River Spade.

That said, I was blown away by Terry, especially. The actor, who also directed the show, was terrific as Beatrice, filling the part with incredible naturalism. His delivery of the Shakespearean language sounded like dialogue, rather than the awkward, abstracted lines endemic to some performances of these centuries-old plays. Terry’s chemistry with Goober Berdine’s Benedick was also completely believable, the two selling the “rom” and the “com” of “Much Ado.”

“Much Ado” is a silly show, basing its conflict around assumed identities, misunderstandings and goofy wordplay. In the Hendersonville Theatre rendition, the play was made even more fun with an amusing coat of pop-punk paint. Characters were costumed in red and black grunge and soundtracked to punk hits of the early 2000s, granting the melodramatic proceedings a hilariously emo subtext.

The comedy of the show was often enhanced by punk flourishes, like when the first few notes of My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade” punctuated a few lines of dialogue or an actor carted a Four Loko onstage for a party scene. Those gags could feel like inside jokes, but fortunately, the entire cast had a good handle on their script, landing the timing of most of the “Much Ado” puns that make it such an enduring comedy. It was clear everyone on stage was having a blast, and their laughter was infectious.

For those unfamiliar, the show revolves around two different love stories: Claudio and Hero, played by Spade and a charming Amanda McLoughlin, and Beatrice and Benedick. The plot kicks in when the villainous John, played by a delightfully evil Rixa Clark, conspires to ruin Hero’s reputation, and meddling friends of Beatrice and Benedick attempt to persuade the pair that the other is in love with them.

The Hendersonville Theatre take climaxed with the moment Beatrice and Benedick “overhear” their pals talking about their supposed love for each other. In their presentation, Act Three, Scenes One and Two were combined, splitting the stage between the two groups for a slapstick barrage of gags. Berdine and Terry flounced around the stage, hiding behind potted plants, newspapers and stage decor. At one point, Terry even dove into the crowd, climbing over chairs as he listened in on the “discussion.” The sequence was riotous, audacious and a huge hit with the audience.

If it seems like I’m making too much ado about “Much Ado About Nothing,” see it for yourself. I don’t think any fans of Shakespeare – or punk music – would be disappointed.

For tickets and more information, visit www.hendersonvilletheatre.org/much-ado-about-nothing.