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Lightness and darkness
Much Ado About Nothing might be classed as a comedy, but in fact there is delicate balance of lightness and darkness in the play. |
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Beatrice and Benedick
Zoë Wanamaker and Simon Russell Beale lead us through the back story of their 'merry war', and tell us how it develops during the play. |
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| Claudio and Hero
Much Ado's young lovers have a rough journey in store for them during the play. Daniel Hawksford and Susannah Fielding lead us through it. |
Don Pedro and Don John
Julian Wadham tells us how he brings an air of the Spanish Inquistion to Don Pedro, while Andrew Woodall reveals how important Don John is to the plot. |
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| Leonato
Oliver Ford Davies talks about how his character is much more than just an 'old dodderer'; he's a clever and important man within Messina's society. |
Dogberry, Verges and the Watch
Nick Hytner, director of Much Ado, comments on how difficult it is to make Dogberry's scenes genuinely funny, while Mark Addy (Dogberry) tells where the laughs lie. |
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| Ursula
Maggie McCarthy talks about the importance of women in the play, and how she goes about creating a character who isn't described in detail in the script. |
Directing Much Ado
Nick Hytner explains what a director's role is on a play like Much Ado About Nothing, from investigating what Shakespeare really meant to filling in what he left out. |
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| Music and dance
Music plays an important part in this production, conveying everything from the sombre mood by Hero's grave to the jubilant nature of the final dance. |
The genius of Shakespeare: his characters and his language
Shakespeare's genius provides a host of enjoyable challenges for the actors in the play. |
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Benedick's gulling scene
Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato all try to get Benedick to reveal his true feelings for Beatrice by convincing him that Beatrice is madly in love with him.
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The wedding scene
Our feature on the dramatic high-point of the play includes commentary from Simon Russell Beale and comparisons of rehearsal and performance. |
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| Hero's grave
The sombre scene at Hero's grave gives Claudio an opportunity to apologise for his conduct towards Hero. |
The final scene
A second wedding, a playful fight over letters written by Beatrice and Benedick and a joyous dance provide an upbeat ending to the play |
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From first rehearsal to the previews
Follow this production of Much Ado About Nothing from the first rehearsal to the final preview. |
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