What do you do with a play like Much Ado About Nothing? It’s been performed countless times before – there’s even another production playing this summer in London, at The Globe.
At the National Theatre we have Simon Godwin’s opulent production; set in an Art Deco-style Sicilian hotel complete with a resident swing band, we’re treated to singing, dancing and some wonderful costumes.
It’s a rather decadent sight to behold, with a gorgeous colour palette and some impressive choreography; purists may baulk but this is a wonderfully entertaining update.
For the uninitiated, Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s more accessible plays – with a plot full of comedic turns, a little drama, a sprinkling of conceit and some cases of mistaken identity.