Not much to `Much Ado’

It’s one of the funniest and friendliest plays that Shakespeare wrote. And it has all the makings of a good battle-of-the-sexes story: suspense, wit, humor, trickery, and (most importantly) lots of true love.

That’s why “Much Ado About Nothing” pulled in a large audience last night for the final event of the season at the Maine Center for the Arts.

Made into a film version by actor-director Kenneth Branagh a couple of years ago, “Much Ado” has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity. The National Players, a company of college graduates in residence at the University of Maryland at College Park, has capitalized on that factor with a touring production. The group was able to fill a slot left open when, earlier this year, The Acting Company had to cancel its Maine Center performance of “Henry V.”

As it turns out, “Much Ado” is perfect springtime fare. It offers the story of a sweet young love inspired by an arrow Cupid has shot at Hero and Claudio. And it also offers a “merry war” between the feisty Beatrice and the waggish Benedick. The former couple is temporarily thwarted by the evil machinations of the malcontent Don John, but love wins out in the end. Of course.

Between the lines of love, Shakespeare gives us much to laugh about. Dogberry, the malapropping constable, and his goofball retinue are some of the most memor- able scene-stealers in Shakespeare. And two garden scenes in which the principal players secretly trap Beatrice and Benedick into accepting their love for one another can be outrageously hilarious.

The National Players garnered many rounds of laughter with their straightforward production, directed by Halo Wines and James A. Petosa. What the audience seemed to find most entertaining, however, was the physical humor of the actors rather than Shakespeare’s language, which was often difficult to understand because of speedy line deliveries and poor vocal projection.

When paired with Shakespeare’s sense of humor, slapstick is a sure-fire way to leave an audience sore from laughing. Unfortunately, the National Players cast was not an outstanding example of this combination. Except for a few actors — Timothy Flynn as Benedick, Brian Loevner as Leonato, and Gerard Slattery as the Prince — the young cast wasn’t top-notch and relied more on physical bits than on the meaning of the language.

Although there were plenty of amusing moments, this production of “Much Ado” wasn’t staged with remarkable discipline or imagination. It compared more favorably to college productions than to professional touring groups.