Much Ado About Nothing. National Theatre.

Simon Godwin’s crowd-pleasing production at the National Theatre looks great and sounds fantastic, I just wish it was a bit funnier.

18 July 2022 Press Night

The National’s new production of Much Ado About Nothing certainly looks and sounds terrific.

Anna Fleischle’s beautiful scenery re-imagines Leonato’s home and gardens as the glitzy, russet-red, art deco Hotel Messina in the Italian Riviera. Her design references seem to the 1950s ‘Golden Age’ of Italian cinema – think La Dolce Vita or Roman Holiday – and she has executed them exquisitely.

The action takes place in high summer in various corners of the ambitiously realised resort – bedrooms, reception, balconies, steam baths, cocktail bars, bathing cubicles, and security office among others. It makes fantastic use of the cavernous space of the Lyttleton, although some front row stalls seats miss a little of the action.

The music from the ever-present hotel dance band can be a little intrusive at times but contributes just the right background ambience of louche sophistication to proceedings.

Evie Gurney’s costumes are marvellous – shimmering satins, exquisite shell-bedecked masquerade masks, immaculately textured loose-fitting suits, and extravagantly ribboned army uniforms.

Ok, the main set clunks, wheezes and grinds a bit as it rotates, and the doors had to be helped into position by stagehands on the preview I attended, but no doubt that will be sorted out in short order. Teething troubles aside, the entire mise en scene is very cleverly done.

The are some good performances too, particularly in the sparky chemistry between Benedick (John Heffernan) and Beatrice (Katherine Parkinson), and in Eben Figueiredo’s richly textured turn as Claudio. David Judge is deeply sinister as the nasty Don John.

So far, so appealing. It is hard to muck-up the much-loved Much Ado About Nothing, and this production is by no means poor. The audience enjoyed it, so perhaps I am being pernickety, but… I just wish it was funnier.

David Fynn has great comedic timing as Dogberry and manages to coax a lot of comedic delight out of his band of bumbling watchmen. That aside, it is all a bit humourless. Benedick hiding in an ice-cream cart and getting covered in sugar sprinkles, or Dogberry accidentally sitting on a plate of lasagne, both sound like they should be funny. The problem is, they, like most of the other visual comedy routines, are laboured, derivative and poorly executed.

Perhaps the routines will sharpen up with time. And there is plenty to enjoy here otherwise.

Director Simon Godwin

Set Designer Anna Fleischle

Costume Designer Evie Gurney

Antonia Wendy Kweh

Justice of the Peace Marcia Lecky

Conrade Ewan Miller

Friar Francis Mateo Oxley

Beatrice Katherine Parkinson

Leonato Rufus Wright

Don Pedro Ashley Zhangazha

Borachio Brandon Grace

Verges Nick Harris

Benedick John Heffernan

Margaret Phoebe Horn

Don John David Judge

Ensemble Kiren Kebaili-Dwyer

Hero Ioanna Kimbook

Hugh Oatcake Al Coppola

Ursula Celeste Dodwell

Claudio Eben Figueiredo

Ensemble Olivia Forrest

Dogberry David Fynn

Ensemble Ashley Gillard

Duration: 2 hours 40 minutes. One interval.

Full Disclosure: I paid full box-office price for the ticket.