Discover what critics have had to say about the new production directed by Sean Holmes with our review round up.
Broadway World: **** “Despite its Italian Renaissance setting, there’s a real sense of modernity in this production, with subtle script changes, fresh takes on well-known characters, and a wide variety of accents present. This speaks to the universality of the script itself, especially when it is given a chance to shine through a modern and, therefore, more accessible lens.”
The Stage: *** “Sean Holmes’ take on the Messina-set comedy is more sour than sweet.”
The Guardian: *** “Both Amalia Vitale’s quick, witty, ardent Beatrice and Ekow Quartey’s loveably pompous Benedick are entertaining highlights as they exchange comic sallies. Although their bristling love/hate chemistry never quite fizzes, you feel the tenderness of their union at the end.”
WhatsOnStage: ***** “This is a production that fills the Globe’s expansive but sometimes unfocused space with energy and generous spirits, and it’s an entirely satisfying, surprisingly surprising rendition of a comedy that gets done so often it runs the risk of over-familiarity. Don’t be surprised to be wiping tears, both of mirth and emotion, from your face. A Much Ado About Nothing that’s as fragrant, irresistible and good for you as the oranges that are impaled, crushed and torn apart in the course of the performance and which, piled up in baskets or hanging from trees, form an integral part of Grace Smart’s suitably Italianate set. Absolutely marvellous.”
Time Out: **** “The rest of the talented cast also make the play feel like much more of an ensemble effort than can sometimes be the case. Jonnie Broadbent is predictably rib-ticklingly funny as the querulously officious Dogberry, while, under Holmes’s shrewd direction, some of the more hand-wavey moments in the script get some shading in. Ryan Donaldson gives Don Pedro’s out-of-nowhere marriage proposal to Beatrice proper weight. Meanwhile, as Leonato, John Lightbody’s annoyance when he learns Claudio, not the prince, wants to marry Hero, brings a new dimension to the social hierarchy lurking behind the smiles.”
London Theatre.co.uk: **** “This is a clever choice of staging to appeal to a younger audience, as it’s easy to view the story almost as a 16th-century version of Love Island: the entanglement and “merry war” of two sets of young lovers, drenched in sun, rumour and intense passions. Holmes ramps up the comedy to 11, then places real darkness with the story of Hero and her rejection at the altar. The balance is very effective, as this scene feels starkly shocking and sombre after the heightened merriment.”
Evening Standard: **** “Light drizzle duly greeted Holmes’s production last night, but barely dampened his finely crafted, joyful, intelligent exploration of a play where everything goes wrong until it suddenly goes right. Maybe Much Ado is catching a mood.”
London Unattached: “This is Shakespeare for everyone to enjoy – accessible on many levels and in a setting that any visitor to London should experience.”
West End Best Friend: ***** “Seeing a show at the Globe Theatre is an experience in itself but is made all the more sweeter when it is to see a show with as much spirit and energy as this production of Much Ado About Nothing. What a way to beckon in the summer!”
The Reviews Hub: ***** “The cast works together excellently in this production. There is a beautiful flow transitioning between scenes as though it were a modern script, making this production accessible for all. In group scenes, the cast’s movements have been choreographed incredibly well, so that we do not lose sight of our main characters and the plot, but can also enjoy the ensemble’s work, particularly in the case of Jonnie Broadbent, portraying Dogberry, who provides particular comic relief while still befitting a classic play.”
The Telegraph: *** “Purists will rejoice at Sean Holmes’s traditional, sun-soaked spin on Shakespeare’s comedy – despite its glossing over of darker themes.”
British Theatre Guide: “Sean Holmes’s production sets out to ensure you enjoy yourself. It made time fly and warmed up a cold night, tricking you into believing that summer had already arrived.”
Much Ado About Nothing will continue to play at the Shakespeare’s Globe until the 24th August 2024.