Bard on the Beach kicks off its 36th season with Much Ado About Nothing on stage until September 20th, under the tents at Senakw / Vanier Park.
Directed by Joanna Wright, a supremely talented cast makes much ado about love and comedy in one of Shakespeare’s scripts, with additional text by Canadian playwright Erin Shields. The added text gives a the two female leads powerful monologues that offer nods to modern sensibilities without feeling out of place.
In typical Shakesperean style, love and deception collide to create hearty laughter. The sun soaked Mediterranean town of Messina is a hotbed of passions; sharp-tongued Beatrice, played by Bard royalty Jennifer Lines spars with quick-witted, jester Benedick, played with merry mirth by Sheldon Elter. In a case of tho doth protest too much, the pair deny any affection until their friends plot to get them to listen to their hearts. Coinciding with Beatrice and Benedick’s will they / won’t they romance, young sweethearts Hero (Jennifer Tong) and Claudio (Angus Yam) are making wedding plans. It wouldn’t be Shakespeare without someone throwing a spanner in the works, in this case Don John, played firmly tongue-in-cheek by Karthik Kadam, plots to undo the pending nuptials. Mistaken identities, death, duels looked to turn the comedy into tragedy but along comes the confused, comedic Constable Dogberry, the hilarious Scott Bellis, and the slapstick (Neighbourhood) Watch. Will they help to save the day and romance? As members of the ensemble remind us “It’s a comedy”, so of course they bring the laughter and love to wrap up Much Ado About Nothing, much ado about something hilarious.
Filling out the comedy’s cast the ensemble includes; Jennifer Clement, Steffanie Davis, Paige Fraser, Kristi Hansen, Matthew Ip Shaw, Sebastian Kroon, Jacob Leonard, David Marr, Agnes Tong, and Tanner Zerr. To balance the laughter the creative team brings classic realism to the production. With competition from real-life sunset backdrop of English Bay, Set Designer Pam Johnson brings to life a sunny Mediterranean set lush countryside, stone walls and vineyards under amber lighting of Lighting Designer Sophie Tang with period costumes by Costume Designer Mara Gottler.
Much Ado About Nothing runs on the BMO Mainstage alongside Two Gentlemen of Verona through September 20, 2025 at Bard on the Beach. Visit bardonthebeach.org for more information and tickets to any of this season’s Bard on the Beach productions including The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again] and The Dark Lady at the Douglas Campbell Theatre.