Much Ado About Nothing – Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon

Writer: William Shakespeare

Director: Michael Longhurst

Director Michael Longhurst takes on the challenging task of transporting a not often performed Shakespearean comedic classic into the 21st century. While many may have doubts about presenting Shakespeare through the lens of football’s laddish culture and WAGs, this production is a brilliant surprise for those looking for a snapping, pacey and hilarious evening.

The play revolves around two main plots: the romantic entanglement of Claudio (Daniel Adeosun) and Hero (Eleanor Worthington-Cox), and the witty banter between Beatrice (Freema Agyeman) and Benedick (Nick Blood), who initially despise each other but eventually fall in love. The play explores themes of love, mistaken identity, and deception, with characters scheming to bring about and disrupt romantic unions.

Shakespearean diehards may take to the streets to hear that rather than soldiers in an army, we now have raucous footballers and celebrity antics decorating the Bard’s stage. However, the significance of the mistreatment of women and the superficial nature of this fickle world remains the same and does not lose any of its richer or more meaningful moments. As an audience, we are we deeply invested in the fate of these characters, despairing when they despair and laughing when they laugh.

A show can succeed or fall depending on the strength of the leads and with Agyeman and Blood at the helm this production blows all expectations out of the park. Their witty banter walks that careful balance between rushed and dragging, allowing the audience time to absorb every nuance, stare or side eye. However, it is their physical comedy that steals the show which, despite a circular pool centre-stage forcing some of the action upstage, cuts through lengthy dialogue and lightens the mood where needed.

It’s a much-appreciated fresh take on the play, which provides not only a new appeal to modern audiences but also questions whether our treatment of women in the limelight has advanced as much as we think it has. Do we in modern society hold the wives and girlfriends to a much higher standard? Do we delight in their downfall when they inevitably fail to maintain the image of perfection demanded of them?

For those new to Shakespeare it is an opportunity to prove how Shakespeare is ‘Not of an age, but for all time’ through a topic they are sufficiently familiar with to grasp onto the main plot points. Just try not to let the football theme dissuade you, once the glitz and glamour has worn off, there is enough of the play’s original bones and subplot to keep everyone happy.

Runs until 24 May 2025