Julian points out that it is important that he is a foreigner in the play; Don Pedro and Don John are Spanish rulers of a part of Italy. He says he has brought a hint of the Spanish Inquisition to the play. He also reckons that Don Pedro takes too much of a role in the ‘merry war’ of love-making; he woos Hero on Claudio’s behalf, and tries too hard to control the lovers’ activites ... perhaps this is why he is left alone at the end of the play.

Julian Wadham describes how he was keen for his character to look similar to Philip II of Spain, and to have overtones of the Spanish Inquisition. This look, which he developed with the costume designer, helped him develop the social hierarchy within the play and enable him to appear austere in the wedding scene. Earlier, in the gulling scene with Benedick he has appeared in an open-necked linen shirt, conveying a much more relaxed atmosphere.

Julian Wadham (Don Pedro) thinks that Don Pedro is necessarily aloof when it comes to marriage, partly because of the political complications of him as a 16th century ruler, but also because he has become accustomed to the easier, less committed love-making he has enjoyed in the army.

Don John is the token villain of the play. In some ways he is a stock character, one of Shakespeare’s typically evil bastards. However, this scheming loner has a key role to play in the play.

Julian Wadham (playing Don Pedro) talks about how Don John’s status as an illegitimate child deprived him from any possibility of being a leader like Don Pedro.

Andrew Woodall describes how his character, Don John, has an important role to play; not only does he provide the ‘mechanism’ for the plot around Hero and Claudio to develop, but is also a dark character who provides essential contrast with the play’s comic aspects.

Although Don John doesn’t have much to say, Andrew Woodall reckons that what he does say is very well written. He uses some rather beautiful elevated language which provides depth to this dark and brooding character.

 
 
 
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