Theatre review – “Much Ado About Nothing” (2010) dir John Bell

It’s one of my favourite Shakespeare’s an it receives a joyous, spirited production – well, could you do it any other way. I wasn’t sure exactly when it was set – 50s Italy I’m assuming, with the men coming back from… Korea? (I saw a version at NIDA set after the Boer War). I don’t think John Bell is the best director in the world, the production was full of dumb ideas – Don John is too much of a joke (played like Mr Bean), having actors play shuttlecock during the middle of the scene, a song is meant to be bad but clearly it’s good, etc. But none of them damage the piece or some fine actors.