Much Ado About Fashion

Fashionably speaking, “Much Ado About Nothing,” the season opening play now running at Two River Theater through Oct. 2, has much to do with the costumes. It’s Shakespeare alright, just with a 1930’s swagger that’s refreshingly retro and ultra modern all in one. 

In the world of fashion it’s known as “classic.”

This timeless romantic comedy set in Sicily, Italy, takes on a new persona with costumes designed by Mattie Ullrich, a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts. Her collection of summer weight wool suits, cotton voile and chiffon dresses could have easily made the headlines from the runways during Fashion Week. Instead, this collection is starring on stage, along with a cast of fine actors impersonating models, who not only look good, thanks to Ullrich, but have enjoyable dialogue to share with the audience.

“The director (Sam Buntrock) sits with the play for a while to figure out the best way to get the story across and how to make it accessible to a modern audience,” Ullrich said. As the costume designer, this is where she picks up the reigns and gives this play a fresh fashion statement. Ullrich started her ascent in costume design when she interned for the long-running television show Saturday Night Live in 1995.

There are scenes in the play when the ideas of Ullrich show up in a spectacular way. At the masquerade ball the actors disguise themselves and the girls have to figure out who the boys are. Some are dressed in roaring 20’s silent movie costumes with lots of jewelry, while the character of Beatrice, played by Kathryn Meisle, is decked out ‘ala Marlene Dietrich.

“They’re like children playing dress-up,” Ullrich said.

The 1930’s represented a time in fashion when clothes were very flattering for women. The bias cut dress and asymmetry punctuated the designs for women of that era. The clothes were loose and airy yet the perfect fit was essential. Men garbed in high-waist pants and dashing suits conjured up the likes of such actors as Gary Cooper, Clark Gable and Cary Grant.

The play is set in warm weather Italy, which allowed Ullrich to showcase light weight and beautifully breezy fabrics. Beatrice is a very progressive woman of her day. She is seen wearing pants and a boat neck striped knit top that screams Co-Co Chanel. Like Chanel, Beatrice is an independent thinker and not so easily smitten by the likes of Benedick. While some of the outfits are threadbare vintage clothing they drape perfectly.   

Ullrich credits her mother for getting her involved in theater that eventually led her to becoming a costume designer. “My mother did lots of things to keep me busy,” she said. “I was in a play when I was 11 and was introduced to the costume shop.”  

In continuing to hone her craft, Ullrich was the costume designer for the play “Cradle and All” that was showcased at the Manhattan Theater Club. You can see her designs in the upcoming opera “Nabucco,” that will be performed at The Washington National Opera in Washington D.C. She has also been commissioned to design the costumes for the opera “I Due Foscari,” for the Los Angeles Opera.

Ullrich’s fashion forward characterization of Benedick, a guy who really knows how to enjoy life, played by Micheal Cumpsty, is featured in very casual attire. Sporting sunglasses, Benedick’s cool, suave and debonair demeanor runs smack dab into Beatrice who manhandles him like only a woman can -to the point that Mr. Cool has to clean up his act.  

Indeed, this production of Shakespeare’s classic is dressed to the nines. Much Ado About Nothing is something you do not want to miss.