Beaucoup de bruit pour rien

Ever since having fond memories of studying it in school, 'Much Ado About Nothing' became one of my favourites of Shakespeare's plays. Love everything about it, though it is very difficult to make Hero and Claudio interesting, because there is so much fun and charm, particularly great characters in Beatrice and Benedick, a story that never lets up on the entertainment value and Shakespeare's text is some of his loveliest and most amusing.

As far as the BBC Television Shakespeare series (one where some productions are better than others but misfires are very few) goes, their 1984 performance of 'Much Ado About Nothing' is among the best of the productions. Despite loving Kenneth Branagh's version on primarily its own merits, for namely the visuals, music, Branagh and Emma Thompson, this one is the better version of 'Much Ado About Nothing' with particularly vastly superior performances of Dogberry and Don John. While not as visually striking as that, it is more faithful and it is more tasteful as well. When it comes to this play, this is as good a version as one can get in my view.

While not as cinematic quality or as sumptuous, the costumes and sets are tastefully designed and didn't come over as too drab or garish. The photography complements very nicely and in terms of lighting it didn't come over as dreary or over-saturated. There is a sense of time and place, which always helps when performing anything but Shakespeare is one of the biggest examples, and effort was clearly made.

Have no issues whatsoever with Shakespeare's text and the stage direction does a great job helping to bring it alive. The momentum never lets up, and for me it didn't feel dull at first, and the comedy is genuinely funny, at its best hilarious, and not overdone (not to the extent that it irritates anyhow). It's not just comedy, there is genuine tension in the wedding scene, one of the stage direction highlights here, and there was emotion too in particularly the latter stages. The chapel scene is one of the greatest individual scenes of the entire BBC Television Shakespeare series, Beatrice's despair was tremendously powerful. The character relationships are handled with humour, tension, charm and poignancy, that between Benedick and Beatrice particularly.

Likewise, no issues can be had with the performances. Cherie Lunghi's Beatrice, one of Shakespeare's most interesting female characters (and overall actually), stood out, her wit, shrewish nature and identifiable assertiveness making it easy for one to see what can be seen in her. Entertaining chemistry can be seen between her and Robert Lindsay's suitably arrogant and commanding Benedick in their merry war against each other. Katherine Levy is a radiant Hero and makes the most of the role, while Robert Reynolds avoids being wet as Claudio.

Jon Finch is scheming and noble as Don Pedro, while there are two performances that are infinitely better here than in Branagh's. Am aware that this came before Branagh's, but saw Branagh's first and have always been more familiar with it. Michael Elphick has fun as Dogberry while not over-acting or being too clownish, while Vernon Dobtchef is a subtly Machiavellian Don John.

To conclude, wonderful. 10/10

Lindsay and Lunghi bring to light previously unknown facets to the two well-known characters of Benedict and Beatrice, and have a kind of sympatico that makes their sudden love for each other more believable than is generally found in other versions of Much Ado. They are bolstered by a marvelous supporting cast. This production far exceeds Branagh's film version in acting, but suffers when the production values are compared, an unfair comparison since Branagh had the luxury of actually making a film on location while this BBC edition is a teleplay.

An afficianado but not expert on Shakespeare, this production was my introduction to "Much Ado About Nothing". I found it a sheer delight. So much so that I fell into the production and it seemed it was over after barely starting. Normally with Shakespeare one seems to maintain a distance whilst mentally translating the old English prose/rhyme but that wasn't necessary with this play. The sets are adequate but we must remember that this is a film of a stage version. It's the acting that makes it so exhilerating. Lunghi is nothing short of stupendous, speaking the lines with great wit, clarity and effect. Lindsay is admirable as her foil and indeed matches her line for line. I would recommend this play/production for anyone who needs an introduction to Shakespeare. For those who are familiar with the bard, they will find this rendition a delight, and far superior to that inadequate, emacerated film version by Branagh.

I concur with the predominantly favorable assessments of this production that have already been posted. Robert Lindsay and Cherie Lunghi are both excellent, and Katharine Levy is likewise outstanding in the role of Hero. Robert Reynolds (presumably intentionally) makes clear how repellent Claudio is, as he delivers a fine performance in that difficult role. Jon Finch emphasizes the silly and decadent dimension of the role of Don Pedro, in a capable performance that could have been enriched with a bit more gravitas. Michael Elphick is far, far better -- far, far funnier -- in the role of Dogberry than was Michael Keaton in Kenneth Branagh's cinematic version of the play.

My only complaint relates to Graham Crowden in the role of Friar Francis. He conveys the impression of not having memorized his part very well; his intonation in his recitation of some of his key lines is decidedly odd.

As most of the other comments point out this is an excellent and faithful performance, to the text and to the period. It is theatrical rather than cinematic, as with virtually all of this BBC complete Shakespeare, rendering comparison with the Branagh futile - it is comparing chalk and cheese.

Here, the comedy is brilliantly rendered, with several laugh-out-loud moments and enjoyably over the top acting. It is particularly fun to see Robert Lindsay at the masque - his movements of body and head are so characteristic of him that he is extremely easy to recognise even in his mask.

However, none of the comments so far have mentioned what for me is the stand-out performance of the play, Vernon Dobtcheff's Don John. This is an excellent, understated expression of pure villainy, snake-like, ruthless and sly, counterpointing the exuberant comedy elsewhere perfectly.