In director Timothy Douglas’s sun-soaked version of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing, Leonato’s Sicilian estate becomes a DC alley where preparations are being made for the annual Caribbean Carnival. From there, the play follows a classic Shakespearean formula, entangling multiple stories, pairs of lovers, miscommunications, and epic word play. Fire escapes and front stoops set the scene for gossip-laden misunderstandings, and the crowded space and bold urban atmosphere let you almost feel the sunlight’s heat slanting through chainlink fences. Vibrant carnival masks and costumes suggest the required air of deception.

The lead roles of Benedick (Howard W. Overshown) and Claudio (Alexis Camins)—soldiers in Shakespeare’s play—are recast as District police officers alternately sparring with and wooing their lady loves. In a performance that’s brighter than even the rainbow-hued set, Overshown gives the perpetual bachelor Benedick the right balance of cocky defiance and soft-centered charm. Unfortunately, in what should be an even battle of the sexes, he outshines Rachel Leslie as the sharp-tongued Beatrice. She holds her own in a few key scenes but pushes too hard in others.

As the wronged beauty Hero, Roxi Victorian embodies both wide-eyed naiveté and heartbreak with ease. And although he has the minor role of Dogberry, Alex Perez shows impeccable comic timing, stealing every scene he’s in. The rest of the cast sometimes gets lost behind the vibrant backdrop but does its best to keep up.

Shakespearean verse feels surprisingly comfortable in a Caribbean accent. The rapid repartee at the show’s core pings off the island-in-the-city setting like the ring of a steel drum, with an omnipresent DJ adding reggae and calypso as counterpoint. However, at times the tropical theme goes a little too far—quasi-dances choreographed to suggest mystical rituals can feel out of place. What’s more, in a few overly dramatic scenes, what should be a fizzy comedy veers disconcertingly close to tragedy.

In the end, while it deserves credit for originality and local color, an imaginative cityscape is what this Ado does best.