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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

★★★½

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

★★★½

“a refreshingly funny and modern production”

Much Ado About Nothing is generally considered one of Shakespeare’s best comedies, because it combines elements of robust hilarity with more serious meditations on honour, shame and court politics. In this fun production at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre under the skilful direction of Michael Longhurst (former Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse and his RSC directing debut) we see the scandal and glamour of international football as a backdrop to this popular rom-com play, exploring the culture of lads, wags and misogyny.

Messina FC has just won the European Cup for the first time and as we enter the auditorium, Jon Bausor’s cleverly designed thrust stage and 3D football stadium immediately immerses us into the world of social media, sponsorship and branding. Team manager Don Pedro (Olivier Huband), along with his captain, Benedick (yes one of a few amusing changes to the original) and their new star player Claudio (Daniel Adeosun making his RSC debut) are invited to take some well-deserved R&R at a villa belonging to Leonato, (an excellent Peter Forbes) owner of their team and his wife Antonia (a feisty Tanya Franks).

Claudio immediately falls in love with their daughter Hero, and everything is set for the wedding of the year. Beatrice – a sports broadcaster – and Benedick both claim to despise the whole notion of love and marriage, but the others plot to make them fall in love. However, Don John, the manager’s brother has a more malicious plot in mind. He tricks Claudio into believing he saw Hero in a compromising situation on the night before their wedding…

For many, the football stadium is still seen as a male space, so misogyny is set up right from the start. The clever use of interactive social media and the ‘deep fake’ pictures of Hero (Eleanor Worthington-Cox, who has a cracking singing voice) would provoke a modern and relatable sense of anger at her betrayal. This was a fascinating and exciting idea and I was eager to see how it would pan out, but even though there were some clever adjustments to the text and some very funny scenes – especially Leonato’s video call – I felt slightly disappointed at the end of the first act. It felt like the dramatic content had been compromised by its own concept. It was hard to believe that Hero was really that innocent, which meant her cancel culture didn’t have as much emotional weight, especially as she and Claudio seemed to provide the main impetus for the plot out of the two romantic couples, whilst Benedick and Beatrice were the foil and dramatic sub plot. However, the play gathered momentum when Benedick (an exceptional Nick Blood) thoroughly amused us with his slapstick humour, whilst maintaining an endearing vulnerability as he was being tricked by his team mates into falling in love with Beatrice (Freema Agyeman).

It seemed like a play of two halves with the second act being far more relatable, zipping along in its contemporary setting like a well oiled machine. Beatrice’s emotional declaration of love for Benedick was quite heart stopping, before she countered the mood with her witty delivery. One of the highlights of this enjoyable production was the hilarious head of security Dogberry (Antonio Margo) whose comic timing and malapropisms were a masterclass in comedy.

This is a refreshingly funny and modern production of Much Ado About Nothing and worthy of being in the premier league.



MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Reviewed on 22nd April 2025

by Sarah Milton

Photography by Marc Brenner

 

 


 

 

 

More ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ reviews:

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING | ★★★★ | THE RED LION | September 2024
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING | ★★★★ | WATERMILL THEATRE NEWBURY | April 2024
SH!T-FACED SHAKESPEARE®: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING | ★★★★★ | LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | July 2023
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING | ★★★★ | DUKE OF YORK’S THEATRE | February 2023
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING | ★★★ | JACK STUDIO THEATRE | August 2022

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

46 Beacon – 5*

 

46 Beacon

Trafalgar Studios 2

Opening Night – 10 April 2017

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“A beautiful, touching story that’s so much more than just another coming of age tale.”

 

After a short stint at The Hope Theatre in 2015, 46 Beacon makes its West End debut in the rather snug Trafalgar Studios 2. A semi-autobiographical work by playwright Bill Rosenfield, 46 Beacon (the curious title is the address where the play is set) is a two hander set in a small studio apartment.

Robert (Jay Taylor) is a British actor who through reasons mainly of his own making, has been forced to get work in a Boston Theatre. There he meets Alan (Oliver Coopersmith), a teenage theatre worker.

Inviting him back to his room, Robert flatters Alan, plies him with drink leading to the inevitable; the sexual awakening of Alan. This sounds almost like a tale of grooming and an older man taking advantage of a confused young man, and you could easily view it as such. However 46 Beacon is much more than that. On a deeper level it explores issues that probably everyone has encountered – the ‘first time’, coping with a troubled relationship, handling rejection.

This is about two gay men, but it’s not so much a coming out story as it could so easily be written for a straight couple. It’s an extremely touching tale that focuses on life’s insecurities for a couple miles apart in age, social background and their viewpoints on what is important in life.

Full of humour  (loved the opening description of gay life in the 1970s ‘there was no AIDS to worry about, just crabs’) and full of genuine warmth and emotion. It’s nice to see a play with gay characters feature realistic people and  scenarios – currently too many plays feature only muscled youngsters living for club culture.

Casting is spot on – Jay Taylor plays Robert excellently as the manipulating, yet never forceful, older man and Oliver Coopersmith’s portrayal of Alan shines with youthful naivety. A cute little 70s set (Ruth Hall) adds to the overall cosiness of the piece.

Almost fifty years after it’s set, this story is still relevant and the issues raised as fresh as ever. A beautiful, touching story that’s so much more than just another coming of age tale.

 

 

Photography by Pete Le May

 

Is at Trafalgar Studios 2 until 29th April

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