Much Ado About Nothing
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Karen Carleton
Performed in:
Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire 28 May, 4 June 2004
Airfield Gardens, 18 - 21 June 2004
Kilruddery Gardens, 26 June 2004
Very much said about many things, in fact! During the course of the play the Bard's writing dips into matters of spying and eavesdropping, deception and infidelity and of course the opposite sex.
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Background to the play
The story at the centre of this comedy concerns a pair of lovers named Claudio and Hero who are due to be married in a week. To pass the time before their wedding day, they conspire with Don Pedro, the prince of Aragon, to trick their friends, Beatrice and Benedick, into confessing their love for one another. The prince's illegitimate brother, Don John, however, jealous of both Don Pedro's power and his affection for Claudio, plans to destroy the coming wedding.
The play was probably first performed in 1598 or 1599 and was published in 1600 by the stationers Andrew Wise and William Aspley.
The play is set in Messina, a port on the island of Sicily, which was ruled by Spain when Shakespeare wrote the 'Much Ado About Nothing'. However, the characters are written to be more Italian in nature, perhaps because England was at war with Spain at the time. Most of the action takes place at and around the home of Leonato with some scenes set in the city.
Household at Messina, Sicily Leonato, Govenor of Messina Antonio, his brother Hero, his daughter Beatrice, his neice Margaret, gentlewoman to Hero Ursula Gentlewoman to Hero Friar Francis Visitors to Messina Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon Don John, his bastard brother Claudio, a young lord of Florence Benedick of Padua Conrade follower of Don John Borachio follower of Don John Balthazar attendant on Don John The Watch at Messina Dogberry Verges Sexton Hugh Oatcake Francis Seacole Attendants Singers |
Peter Flood Gerry Doyle Claire Reilly Antoinette Fahey Joanne Keane Hilary Madigan Tony McGettigan Basil Ashmawy David Walsh Patrick O'Malley Sean Murphy Oran O'Rua Jim Carroll Marcus O'Donnell Geoffrey O'Keeffe Paul Sharpe Brendan Dunne Patrick Biget Seamus Whelan Judy McKever Deirdre Ward Teresa Dempsey Doris Cullen Aoife Lawless Orla O'Donnell Catherine McAuliffe |
| Director Assistant Director Costume Design Set Design Stage Manager Lighting Design Music Make-up Front of House Set Construction Programmes |
Karen Carleton Aoife Lawless Dympna Murray Gerard Bourke Bernard Doyle Paul Macken Kevin Breathnach Teresa Dempsey Jean Monahan Brian Dempsey and Bernard Doyle Gary Wall |