Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe

Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare’s beloved romantic comedy, directed by Chelsea Walker, is replete with witty wordplay, mistaken identities and betrayal. The play follows two couples: the feuding, sharp-witted Beatrice and Benedick (Pippa Nixon and Ken Nwosu), and Hero and Claudio (Assa Kanouté and Joshua John), whose relationship is threatened after Hero is falsely accused of adultery.

As is characteristic of Shakespeare’s Globe, elements of the performance are tweaked to engage a modern audience. While some have criticised this tradition of the theatre, subtle updates make it more accessible for a younger crowd, to whom often convoluted plots and wordy dialogue may be alienating. There are colourful outfits, energetic dance routines and, in a nod to the TikTok generation, Hero and Claudio walk down the aisle to an orchestral version of Billie Eilish’s Birds of a Feather.

Greta Dietz’s creative costume design is a joy to behold, with glamorous sequinned dresses, suits and sunglasses, but most memorably the entire cast wearing giant animal heads, in a simultaneously amusing and creepy choreographed dance sequence. It is an astute reference to the frequent animal metaphors throughout the text, said to reflect the primal behaviours of its characters.

Ken Nwosu’s Benedick and Pippa Nixon’s Beatrice are particularly fun to watch, as the constantly bickering pair who stubbornly refuse to confess their love for one another, and vehemently reject the idea of marriage. But perhaps the most interesting character is Hero, as the betrayed bride who is given greater attention and agency in this production, with more lines and narrative power. “This is not a defiance of the text – rather, it is, like the production concept itself, bringing Shakespeare’s intentions forward into more modern terms”, writes Dr Hailey Bachrach in the play’s June 2026 programme. “If today’s audiences and artists struggle to hear Hero, we will let her speak more loudly”.

The in the round layout of the iconic venue is cleverly utilised, with characters frequently addressing the audience, and even moving amongst the standing crowd. When Benedick’s character is desperately trying to avoid being caught eavesdropping, Nwosu hides directly behind an audience member, in a series of hilarious slapstick moments.

One of Shakespeare’s most frequently performed plays, the skilled direction and talented cast inject fun and vibrancy into this entertaining production.