Much Ado About Nothing, a play with a long history of success, is a romantic comedy written by William Shakespeare. Its title possibly refers to the characters’ choices of making big deals around seemingly insignificant things as they choose to act on the belief of what they overhear. Compared to Shakespeare’s darker plays such as tragic Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing is a mirthful and humorous play, filled to the brim with the dramas of courting and scandal. The play is set in Italy’s city of Messina and describes the budding relationship between two pairs of lovers, Hero and Claudio, and the pugnacious couple Beatrice and Benedick. However, no love story would be complete without its roadblocks, meddling schemes, and a joyous wedding. While Hero and Claudio are completely smitten for each other, Benedick and Beatrice refuse to tolerate each other. Luckily, their friends are willing to play Cupid. At the end of the play, both couples get married. However, Don John (Don Pedro’s villainous brother) plans to return to Messina to cause more pandemonium, the play concludes before he gets a chance to. While both the 2011 Wyndham Theater and the 2024 Cincinnati Shakespeare company productions effectively adapted the book, I believe the 2024 staging was more successful as its inclusion of audience interaction and modern additions felt much more comical and engaging.

The Otto M. Budig Theater, where Cincinnati Shakespeare performed Much Ado About Nothing, is a spacious theater, with a ground level stage and seating that allows audiences to be no more than 20 feet from the performance. Along with performance being close to the audience, actors also choose to use aisles and entryways from behind the backrow as part of their stage, allowing the audience to be fully immersed into the action. The stage is well lit. With lighting being varied it, consequently, highlighted focal points. Such lighting was interesting and exciting as it portrayed the time of day, and spotlighted certain characters during scenes, giving it a movie feel. The set of the play was gorgeous and full of character, set with a warm, functional villa placed in a verdant vineyard with the addition of a wine-treading pit, feeling traditional and set in time to the original setting. This setting choice by directors would make sense as it gives the feel of the 1600’s, the time period where Much Ado About Nothing was originally set. Interestingly, the actor’s choices of adlibbing onstage was modern. For example, Geoffrey Warren Barnes II’s – who plays Benedick – choice of impersonating Michael Jackson and adding in silly, down-right incredibly terrible pick up lines. Paired with the traditional setting, I found it very humorous as such jokes stood out against its setting and way of speech. Compared to the 2011 Wyndham Theater version, which was very comical too, I quite disliked the complete modernization and the revolving stage. Although the revolving stage made creating different sets for scenes easier, I feel that the stage was lacking in character. While the in the 2024 version the characters and set were able to blend together, I cannot say the same with the 2011 version as the characters stood out greatly against the grey-white stage. The stage felt dead. In addition, the liveliness of the play felt lacking in the 2011 production as the actors didn’t have quite as much movement as the 2024 production. They were confined to the revolving stage and couldn’t interact with the audience. In addition to the 2024 set, outfits and props also contribute a great deal to the demeanor of the play. The actor’s uses of their props and surroundings brought in a great amount of entertainment. The uses of hanging up lanterns to signify nightfall and the grape vines hanging in the aisles tied in the actors to the audience. Props like the wine vat and the ladder, where Beatrice attempted to dissemble herself as she eavesdropped, brought laughter to the audience due to the sheer foolishness of the production. Ultimately, I prefer Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s setting and staging because they were really able to make the show feel like an engaging comedy.

Although both are true to the original, the 2024 production is not without its major differences to the 2011 production. Something that seemed prevalent was the choice to cut certain scenes out in the pursuit of a comedic, all-around cheerful show. Unfortunately, the 2024 production lost quite a bit of their depth, with characters like Don John being portrayed as a more outwardly evil, cartoon-like villain, with the removal of Leonato’s brother who is meant to guide Leonato, and with speeding up or cutting scenes that were more somber. One of the scenes that was portrayed the most differently was the very evident scene removal was Act 5. Scene 3., a moment where Claudio is meant to grieve the loss of Hero in the face of his ignorance and cruelty. In the 2011 Wyndham production, with minor deviations, Claudio solemnly reads out Hero’s epitaph from a paper in his hands, attempting to keep his voice steady as it constantly cracks, and he almost breaks into tears. When the other people present leave, Claudio drinks a great amount and plays depressing rock music as he mourns Hero. Unlike other scenes such as the one where Claudio and Don Pedro plan their masquerade ball plan is speed up emphasized, the 2024 Cincinnati production chooses to completely cut out this scene. Although these changes were shocking, they did, however, allow the play to fulfill a more comedic role.

The different adaptations, although following the same storyline and book, completed with the same ending, do not carry over the same themes and messages. Both carry a theme that in the end love can and will win. A troubled couple can get back together if they truly love each other, a rocky start can end in a joyous wedding, However, the 2024 Cincinnati production was truly just a rom com, being lighthearted, with humorous lines centered on romantic pursuits. The 2011 Wyndham production was more melancholy carrying along themes of sexism, class division, gender roles and loyalty. Although the 2024 production failed to examine and criticize any societal struggles, I still prefer the 2024 Cincinnati Shakespeare production for several reasons. Firstly, when it comes to watching a show or performance, it is best when there is no need to find any deeper meanings. I can take it at face value. In addition, I preferred the more interactive set, which blends with the Elizabethan English and makes many scenes either dramatic or extremely comical, ultimately enhancing the entire performance and production of Much Ado About Nothing.