Much Ado About Nothing at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Written by Roni for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The RSC is back with another innovative and refreshing interpretation of a Shakespeare play, and what better to tick those boxes than Much Ado About Nothing? As they set out to delight audiences and leave them in stitches, can this latest adaptation do the trick?
Much Ado About Nothing is the well-known tale of Benedick and Beatrice, a pair between whom there is no love lost, but perhaps a lot to be found. As their friends conspire to get the couple to see the error of their ways, Benedick’s right hand man, Claudio, falls in love with Hero, daughter of the governor Leonato, and is promised her hand thanks to some enabling from Don Pedro. However, Pedro’s illegitimate brother Don John is determined to cause chaos, inciting Borachio to help him trick Pedro and Claudio into believing they are witnessing Hero being unfaithful the night before their wedding. As Claudio humiliates Hero at the altar, all hell breaks loose, and Hero appears to have died. Can Benedick and Beatrice finally come together to save the day – and their friends’ futures?
This is a phenomenally fresh take on one of Shakespeare’s classic comedies, as the term ‘players’ is sensationally inverted – creating a football team FC Messina, led by Don Pedro (Olivier Huband), captained by Benedick (Nick Blood), and featuring star player Claudio (Daniel Adeosun). Set and costume designer Jon Bausor has created a sleek and modern setting that would not look out of place in a scene from Footballers’ Wives, complete with a pool that cleverly doubles as a plot device. The decision to use cameras to live stream parts of the action onto screens in the auditorium is an interesting one, but combined with the integration of other digital aspects such as tweets and photoshopping, it is effective at updating the action for the present day. The use of popular modern music is also inspired, allowing the hilarity to become more accessible for all audiences
The cast here are wonderful, easily able to portray their emotions with a modern undertone to the delight of the audience whilst simultaneously sprouting Elizabethan English. Special mention must go to Nick Cavaliere and Antonio Magro for their side-splitting portrayal of the night watchmen, whilst Peter Forbes displays some impressive vocals as owner Leonato on karaoke. Daniel Adeosun is an understated Claudio, accompanied by Olivier Huband as Don Pedro, the pair simmer quietly, but no less effectively. Eleanor Worthington-Cox is lovely as Hero, with a beautiful voice to boot, but our leading couple, played by Nick Blood and Freema Agyeman, manage to steal the show with their effortless wit and close to flawless performances. Freema is especially captivating as the formidable Beatrice, who refuses to be cowed by the men surrounding her.
Overall, this is a stunning piece. It’s visually striking, features an exquisite cast, and perhaps most importantly, it intelligently weaves modern life into a period piece, opening up new depths for unfamiliar audiences. This is a wonderfully fun show, full of colour, music and laughter, and will leave you feeling like you’ve just had the biggest breath of fresh air.
At the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 24 May 2025
★★★★★
