Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” is the original romantic comedy — its leads are very vocal about how much they can’t stand each other. In other words, they’re destined to end up together.
On paper, at least, it seemed inspired to cast Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater as the dueling lovebirds Beatrice and Benedick. The pair have become Shakespeare in the Park favorites — this is his fifth appearance, her third — and they’re dating in real life. You’d think there would be sexual tension to spare.
And yet it’s in short supply on the Delacorte stage — maybe because director Jack O’Brien relentlessly emphasizes laughs over romance.
Linklater is at the front line in the quest for levity. His hang-dog goofiness was adorable in “Twelfth Night” but feels inappropriate in this play: Love is meant to soften Benedick up, but that’s impossible here since he’s never tough to begin with.
Benedick has returned from war with his commander, Don Pedro (Brian Stokes Mitchell), and they’ve dropped by the house of Leonato (John Glover), Beatrice’s uncle.
She and Benedick quickly resume their ongoing “skirmish of wit,” which here boils down to Rabe spitting out barbs as if she were in “The Taming of the Shrew.” Benedick should stand up to her more, especially in the beginning, but he simply doesn’t.
Like him, the show is overeager in its desire to please.
Since the story is set in Sicily, bits of Italian dialogue have been added for comic effect. A running joke involves people trying to push off a large grapevine-bearing trellis — John Lee Beatty’s outside, elaborate set involves a two-story house, a vegetable garden, an orange tree and a functioning fountain.
And of course, the obligatory musicians roam the estate as well.
All this contributes to the three-hour running time. The show can be charming indeed, but its approach also sands out the play’s edges. And if “Much Ado” teaches us one thing, it’s that romance is a dish best served bold.