Those of us who find ourselves love-lorn this Valentine’s Day might, like Duke Orsino in William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, find ourselves lamenting,
   “If music be the food of love, play on
    Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
    The appetite may sicken, and so die” (1.1)

It is this very excess that the latest instalment of Dunedin Summer Shakespeare, directed and produced by Kim Morgan, If Music Be the Food of Love: Shakespeare in Song seeks to provide us, with original musical adaptations of Shakespeare’s works composed by 12 of Dunedin’s best and brightest local musicians. And it is musical excess this production most certainly provides.

Musical adaptations range from Ian Chapman’s nautically sinister “Full fathom five thy father lies” from The Tempest (1.2) to Shannon Burnett’s bright, warm, ‘Under the Greenwood Tree’ (As You Like It, 2.5)to a hauntingly beautiful “You spotted snakes with double tongue” (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2.2) performed by Dunedin band Eris. Unfortunately for Duke Orsino, this music does not spoil one’s appetite for love, but rather expands it, placing it in the capable hands of Dunedin’s music scene.

Unfortunately, due to forecasted rain, the opening performance was moved from the Dunedin Botanic Garden Band Rotunda to Dunedin North Intermediate School hall, but they adapt to this challenge well, and the performance is still very much worthwhile even indoors. 

The pre-show is performed by Tomuri Spicer who creates a skilled, improvised blend of Taonga Puoro and goes on to deliver a beautiful Māori translation of Puck’s “If We Shadows Have Offended” monologue from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (5.1). Not the only Māori translation, Nick Tipa and Alex Martyn’s translations of “Take, O take those lips away / Hoata ēnā kutu” (Measure for Measure, 4.1) and “For the rain it raineth every day / Nā te u akua uaina” (Twelfth Night, 5.1) are definite crowd-favourites. Dunedin’s grey weather is brightened by Grace Gemmel’s sweet summery “O Mistress Mine, where are you roaming” (Twelfth Night, 2.3), Arlie McCormick’s ‘It was lover and his lass / Pretty ring time’ (As You Like It, 5.3) and Sylvie Harper’s ethereal ‘Sing all a green willow’ (Othello, 4.3), while Mārama Grant and Abbey Fleur’s performance of ‘Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more’ (Much Ado About Nothing, 2.3), and Grant’s later ‘Fear no more the heat of the Sun’ (Cymbeline, 4.2) embrace Shakespeare’s natural theatricality.

Matt Morgan (who also served as musical director) carries us through the show as the emcee Willy Shakes, delivering a lively and enthusiastic performance and providing the audience with fun Shakespeare facts that often give us hints of context for the upcoming musical act. To borrow one of these facts, Willy Shakes highlights the ways in which Shakespeare’s plays are part of a cycle of adaptation, the great bard himself borrowing from artists before him.

If music really is the food of love, then we can consider these wide-ranging musical re-imaginings, the food of Shakespeare, allowing his words to remain in conversation, and in community.

If Music Be the Food of Love: Shakespeare in Song is a great deal of fun, and a celebration of Shakespeare, and of Dunedin artistry, that is well worth attending. Happy Valentine’s Day to all, and to the love-sick and heartbroken, remember “In sweet music is such art, / Killing care and grief of heart.” (Henry VIII, 3.1)

Perhaps some local music is just what you need.

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