Royal Shakespeare Company: Much Ado About Nothing

Royal Shakespeare Company: Much Ado About Nothing (2022) -

My first reaction to this production and within minutes, was that I was not going to make it very far in to it and that I would probably turn it off before even the half hour mark, because it was difficult to recognise the style of the characters, or what their roles were - Who were the Kings, Soldiers and Servants, etc and even who was playing the Male or the Female characters, which I needed to know to understand the various romances in play.

I'm all for diversity and inclusion, but I couldn't tell anyone apart. They all seemed to have gone to the same drama school as Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education), because just like him, they spoke too fast and too loudly and they all sounded just like he has in everything he's ever done. As such the whole casts delivery was very boring and did not engage me at all. I couldn't distinguish who was playing on what side, which needed to be clearer for a show with so many characters involved.

I actually struggled to believe that these actors were from The Royal Shakespeare Company, because they were not even as good as some amateurs I've seen.

It was all quite silly in its delivery too, even the "Backing" music was cheap and tinny and seemed daft. Oddly, despite those elements, it seemed to lose the actual comedy of the story.

I felt that they were trying too hard to make it "Cool" and "Funky" with bright costumes, glow in the dark hair and a modern set and that they didn't bother with any actual care around the direction or production itself.

It was certainly a divergence from the traditional versions of the tale and my only other reference to the story was the Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson film (1993), which I watched a very long time ago, but I do recall that I was instantly attracted to that version and bit put off in moments as I was here. Maybe it was just a bit too alternative for me.

Unscored as Unfinished.