Written by Charli for Theatre and Tonic

Disclaimer: Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review. All views are our own

There really was no better setting for this production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing than at Arches Lane Theatre, which can be found under the railway arches beside Battersea Power Station. As you walk down the corridor towards the theatre and hear the rumbling of the train tracks above, you are immediately immersed in the underground atmosphere - exactly what this new adaptation requires.

Dramaturg Maira Vandiver has set Much Ado in 1920s New York City, where Leonata - Leonato in the original - runs an underground speakeasy called Messina. As an audience we are immediately immersed in the action, with the cast already milling about on stage and chatting with audience members as you make your way through the auditorium. Playing in the background is some fantastic live music from musical director Catty Tucker on keys and Molly Wolff on flute, really brings this distinctive era into the room.

The show launches into action when a group of soldiers return from the First World War. Count Claudio immediately falls in love with Leonata’s daughter Hero, while ex-lovers Beatrice and Benedick are reunited, much to their disdain. As with any Shakespearean comedy, the play features interference from both friends and villains, making for a delightfully entertaining watch.

Immersion feels like one of the main aims of this show, with the characters continuing to pop up around different sides of the auditorium, running up and down the aisle staircase, and speaking directly with those in the front row. This gave the show a playful energy and you felt the actors were having fun with it, and so we were having fun too.

This energy seeped into the staging as well. Most of the comedic elements came from the actors’ physicality - and the scene where Don Pedro (Ian Chapman), Claudio (Finn Harkin), and Leonata (Othane Rodriguez) are trying to trick Benedick into thinking Beatrice is in love with him was a real standout moment for me.

Similarly, while the whole cast were outstanding, the two performers that really shone had to be Beatrice, played by dramaturg Maira Vandiver, and Brendan Peloubet’s Benedick. Charming to watch, they both commanded the stage with ease, seeming to relish the witty lines they got to deliver. Both were incredibly camp in their own brilliant ways, but still had a palpable chemistry when together. It felt joyous watching their journey unfold from battling one another with their quick-wits to then developing into something sweeter.

The costumes were another highlight. Developed by costume designers Saffron Jay Booker and Marianne Vandiver, there were some gorgeous pieces that really brought that 1920s glamour. This, combined with the fantastic live music from Tucker and her trio, gave yet another layer to the show to keep even the most repellent of Shakespearean dialogue entertained.

Much Ado is a Shakespeare play that I was not familiar with prior to the show, so I cannot comment on how it compares to the original text, but I do know this production company wanted to lean into the queer elements of the play (the show is in partnership with the London LGBTQ+ centre) and I felt this came across very naturally.

Ultimately, this adaptation is a fun night out, with every detail executed brilliantly.

Plays until 4th April.

★★★★

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