TheOrator.Press Theatre Review: ‘Much A Do About Nothing’ 1993 (The Movie) Stands The Test of Time In It’s Own Right & Has Also Inspired The Next Generation As Evidenced By ‘Much A Do About Nothing’ 2023 (The Theatre Production In The West End). Both Are Utterly Magnificent Despite The 30 Year Age Difference ~ February 2023

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Writer ~ William Shakespeare

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Kenneth Branagh ~ Director

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Claudio ~ Played By Robert Sean Leonard

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Borachio ~ Played By Gerard Horan

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Don Pedro ~ Played By Denzel Washington

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The Complete Works of Shakespeare

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Leonato ~ Richard Briers

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Hero ~ Played By Kate Beckinsale

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Film Score ~ By Patrick Doyle (R)

Real Life Classical Composer & Music Player

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Balthazar ~ Played By Patrick Doyle (R)

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Benedict Married Beatrice Eventually.

Kenneth Branagh Was Once Married To

Beatrice Actress Emma Thompson

In Real Life Actually

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Benedict ~ Played By Kenneth Brannegh

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Beatrice ~ Played By Emma Thompson

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Conrad ~ Played By Richard Clifford

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The Complete Works of Shakespeare

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The Complete Works of Shakespeare

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Doctor Dogberry ~ Played By Michael Keaton (Left)

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Don John ~ Played By Keanu Reeves

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Don John ~ Played By Keanu Reeves

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The Friar ~ Played By Jimmy Yuille (L)

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The Friar ~ Played By Jimmy Yuille (L)

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Antonio ~ Brian Blessed

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Tuscany ~ Played By Tuscany

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Margaret ~ Played By Imelda Staunton

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Ursula ~ Played By Phyllida Law

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Verges ~ Played By Ben Elton (R)

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Gerard Horan Borachio, Don ohn’s drunken henchman.

He assists Don John in sabotaging Claudio’s and Hero’s wedding by making Hero appear unfaithful and initially succeeds, but is caught boasting about his crime by Dogberry’s men and forced to confess.

Denzel Washington as Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon; remarkable for being one of the few “marriageable” men in the piece who does not get married by the end of the play, though he does play matchmaker for others. In the second act, when he and Beatrice are alone, he quietly asks her, “will you have me, lady?”, revealing his true feelings for her. Beatrice gently rebuffs his proposal, and the two remain friends. He believes, with Claudio, in Hero’s alleged infidelity, but is likewise earnestly sorry when he learns the truth.

Richard Briers as Leonato, Governor of Messina and the father of Hero. He loves his daughter immensely, but upon hearing the false news of her infidelity, he wishes she had never been born. He eventually accepts the Friar’s counsel and becomes party to the pretense that Hero has died, testing Claudio’s remorse over disgracing Hero, before finally reuniting the two young lovers in the end.

Kate Beckinsale as Hero, the naïve, kind-hearted only child of Governor Leonato, who is in love with Claudio. She is falsely accused of being unfaithful to Claudio on the night before her wedding. At the end of the film, Don John’s plot against her and Claudio is revealed and they are happily married as was planned in the beginning.

• Kenneth Branagh as Benedick, a nobleman in the court of Don Pedro. He is fairly arrogant but shows himself to have a good heart during the “wedding” scene, as he is the only man from Don Pedro’s entourage who implicitly believes Hero. His vanity and brash persona make his interactions with Beatrice argumentative, but at the end of the film, Beatrice and Benedick agree to marry.
• Emma Thompson as Beatrice, Leonato’s niece, and Hero’s cousin and chamber-mate. She is a strong-willed woman who charms and impresses all who know her with her wit and intelligence. She confesses her love for Benedick and agrees to marry him.
• Keanu Reeves as Don John, Don Pedro’s evil half-brother. After leading a failed rebellion against Don Pedro, he conspires with his men Borachio and Conrade to stop Hero and Claudio’s wedding by ruining Hero’s honor. When his plot is found out, he attempts to escape but is captured and imprisoned.
• Michael Keaton as Dogberry, the local constable. He is not as clever as he thinks, and is given to malapropisms. He and his men accidentally catch Borachio boasting about his involvement with separating Claudio and Hero. His men arrest Borachio and his conspiring friends. He ultimately saves the day by forcing Borachio to confess his part in Don John’s plot.
• Imelda Staunton as Margaret, Hero’s waiting gentlewoman who is tricked by Borachio, and mistaken for Hero by Don Pedro and Claudio.
• Brian Blessed as Antonio, the brother of Leonato. He is very friendly, but is incensed by the accusations leveled against Hero.
• Ben Elton as Verges, the local headborough and Dogberry’s partner.
• Jimmy Yuill as Friar Francis, the priest at Claudio and Hero’s wedding who fervently defends Hero from the accusations made against her.
• Richard Clifford as Conrade, a henchman of Don John.
• Phyllida Law as Ursula, Hero’s other waiting gentlewoman.
• Patrick Doyle as Balthazar, Don Pedro’s musician.

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Debris Stevenson ~ Re-Mixologist

Josie Daxter ~ Director

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Claudio ~ Played By Jez Davess Humphrey

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Borachio ~ Played By Dalumuzi Mayo

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Don Pedro ~ Played By Jack D’Arcy

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Leonato ~ Played By Jessica Enemokwu

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Hero ~ Played By Thuliswas (Tilly) Magwaza

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Balthazar ~ Played By Jerome Scott

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Benedict ~ Played By Daniel Cawley

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Beatrice ~ Played By Isolde Fenton

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Conrade ~ Played By Tomas Azocar-Nevin

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The Complete Works of Shakespreare

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Doctor Dogberry ~ Played By Eleanor

Booth

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Don John ~ Played by Jasmine Ricketts

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Friar ~ Played By Zoe Hannah Ankra

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George Seacole ~ Played By Oliva Ng

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Margaret ~ Played By Nathaly Sabino

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Ursula ~ Played By Chloe Cooper

Who Also Plays

The Sexton

(aka Church Yard Attendant)

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Verges ~ Played By Kira Golightly

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