CAST & COMPANY

It takes a lot of people to create what you’re watching...

Lewis Chandler: Dogberry, Don Pedro,

Director: Helen Tennison

Costume & Set Design: Amy Watts

Sound Design: Matt Eaton

Brianna Douglas: Verges, Hero, Antonia

Margaret, Friar

Nicholas Osmond: Leonato, Don John,

Production Manager: Giles Stoakley

Stage Managers: Judith Volk, Hannah

McGeough

Production Assistant: Averil Tallack

Sexton

Emily Woodward: Beatrice

Anna Tolputt: Benedick

Herb Cuanalo: Claudio, Borachio

The OVO Team Chairman: David Widdowson

The Creation Team

Artistic Director & Chief Executive & – Helen

Trustees: David Berryman, Rob Ferguson, Jane Withers

General Manager – Charlie Morley

Eastman

Marketing Manager - Tamsin Purchase

Deputy Producer - Michael Deacon

Education Managers - Jess Braviner & Sarah

Artistic Director: Adam Nichols

Operations Director: Martin Sharman

Site Director: Simon Nicholas

Technical Managers: Michael Bird, Laurel Marks

Headen

Education Facilitators - Ryan Duncan, Claire

Production Managers: Ross McGregor, Emma Wright

Marketing: Cecily Batten, Kelly Stewart

The Board of Trustees: Julia Iball

Mills & Ben Moss

(Chairperson), James Bufford, Mary

Clarkson, Colin Fletcher, Peter Talbot, Carl

Tomlinson, Zool Verjee, Renee Watson

Photographers: Hannah Couzens, Elliott

Publicist: Judy Lipsey

Franks, Tim Morozzo

Front of House: Helena Bold-Davies, Alex Edwards, Vicky Harris, Louise O’ Sullivan, Natalie Sharman

Site Construction: Adam Bottomley, Michael Bird, Helena Bold Davies, Delga Martineau, VinceMcLoughlin, Daisy Mitchell, John

Stenhouse

Act I

Much Ado About Nothing begins in Messina, where Leonato lives with his daughter, Hero, and her cousin and companion, the Lady Beatrice. Leonato receives word that his friend, the Duke Don Pedro has returned from war and plans to visit with some of his fellow soldiers. Among the party is Claudio, who quickly falls in love with Hero. Benedick, a bachelor who has sworn off love and marriage, also comes, and he enjoys speaking his mind in witty argument with Beatrice.

Act II

Leonato holds a masked ball to celebrate the end of the war. While at the ball, the engagement of Claudio and Hero is arranged. At the same time, Don Pedro’s brother, Don John, seeks a way to spoil the general happiness (just because he’s bitter and petty that way). Don John plots with the soldiers, Borachio and Conrad, to deceive Claudio into believing Hero has cheated on him.

Act III

That night, Hero’s maid, Margaret, talks with Borachio from Hero’s bedroom window. Claudio and the Duke watch secretly from a distance and think that the girl at the window is Hero. Meanwhile, Hero, Claudius and Don Pedro decide Benedick and Beatrice are ideal partners, despite (or because of) their bickering. They make a plot to allow Benedick to overhear them discussing Beatrice’s love for him and vice versa. After a series of overheard conversations, Benedick and Beatrice realise they do indeed love one another.

Act IV

At Hero’s wedding, Claudio is still deceived into thinking Hero cheated on him. He denounces her and leaves her apparently dead from shock. With the help of the priest, Leonato, Beatrice, and Benedick decide to pretend that Hero is actually dead until her name can be cleared. Later, the watchmen—managed by the bumbling village constable Dogberry–overhear Borachio and Conrad brag about the trick that they played on Claudio and Don Pedro. They arrest the pair.

Act V

Dogberry’s incriminating information is, after some difficulty, given to Leonato and Don Pedro. As penance for causing Hero’s death, Claudio agrees to accept Leonato’s “niece” in her place. The “niece” turns out to be Hero (conveniently). The play comes to a joyful conclusion as the lovers are reunited, and Benedick and Beatrice announce that they will share the wedding day. Don John has been captured while trying to escape and is left for future trial while the play ends with a merry dance.

From Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Q&A with the Director

Helen Tennison has worked extensively with Creation to create exciting site-specific adaptations of classic texts including Alice in Wonderland in Oxford University Parks and Dracula at The London Library. This summer she’s taking on our fun and feisty version of Much Ado About Nothing, we caught up with her in rehearsals to find out more:

When did you first read or see Much Ado About Nothing?

I remember watching the Kenneth Branagh film version and loving how feisty, funny and vulnerable Emma Thompson was as Beatrice.

What are you most looking forward to about the co-production with OVO at The Roman Theatre and the production at South Oxford Adventure Playground?

The Roman Theatre at St Albans is a spectacular venue, it’s a setting that will bring out the beauty and lyricism that lies just beyond the immediate humour of Much Ado. An adventure playground really is a gift of a location and offers so many opportunities to bring out the humour and fun of Much Ado.

Tell us a bit about the style of your production/what era it’s set in/what music you’re using.

Much like its witty central characters, Much Ado About Nothing is a playful, boisterous show with hidden depths. War and jealousy form the backdrop to love and romance. So, I’ve set this Much Ado in the 1980s, a time of outrageous fashion, yuppie optimism and underlying political instability. We have a fabulous cast of six actors playing Beatrice, Benedick and the other four actors play a madcap whirlwind of twelve roles between them. So expect slapstick, shoulder pads and banging 80s tracks with a sensitive soul. Alongside some classic 80s tracks, composer Matt Eaton will be creating some 80s style synthesiser music, especially for this production. We also decided that Hero’s perfect wedding was officiated by an Elvis impersonator, Las Vegas style, so look out for some classic crooning.

What do you think audiences will love most about this production?

It’s a laugh-out-loud fun night out in a gorgeous setting with some of Shakespeare’s most beautiful language and hidden depth. The extraordinary actors are impressive in their multirolling and adept switches between humour and pathos. There’s some great slapstick humour, and the battle of wits between Benedick and Beatrice is a joy to behold. But beyond that Much Ado About Nothing has a deeper edge. Life feels precarious; the play begins and ends with references to war, and all the characters struggle with the challenge of keeping up appearances. This is an aspect we can all relate to and give the play its depth. As with all Shakespeare’s plays there is an empathy for this aspect of human frailty and a call to dance while you can.

What 3 words would you use to sum up your Much Ado About Nothing?

In 5 words! Fun,funky with hidden depth.

Cast

Lewis Chandler: Dogberry, Don Pedro, Margaret, Friar

Previous work with Creation: Peter Pan , A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Cinderella Theatre: Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (2019 UK Tour), The Misanthrope (Jermyn Street Theatre), Foul Pages (The Hope Theatre), Hamlet (Honey Tongued Theatre) The Devil is an Ass (Mercurius) Feature Film: Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Radio: Trimble (URY) - nominated for a BBC Audio Drama Award. For 3 years, Lewis was a member of The Shambles, York’s premier improv comedy troupe. As a singer, Lewis has performed at the National Theatre and Wilton’s Music Hall.

Brianna Douglas: Verges, Hero, Antonia Stage: The Darkest Part of the Night (Kiln Theatre), Advent Plays 2021 (Oldham Coliseum), Beyond these Walls (Sheffield Crucible), Dead Certain (Hope Mill Theatre), Consent (Hope Street Theatre, Hamlet (Hope Mill Theatre). Television: Coronation Street (ITV), Emmerdale (ITV). Brianna plays the lead in 2023 BAFTA Nominated Short Film ‘The Ballad of Olive Morris’.

Nicholas Osmond: Leonato, Don John, Sexton

Training: Mountview Academy of Theatre

Arts. Previously for Creation: The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast, The Signalman, Friar Lawrence’s Confessional; Horatio And Hamlet; A Christmas Carol; Alice; Aladdin; Much Ado About Nothing; Rapunzel. Theatre includes: Henry V, Antic Disposition; Witness For The Prosecution, London City Hall; The Lion King, international tour; Measure For Measure, Union Theatre; An Inspector Calls, UK tour for The National Theatre; King John, Union Theatre; The Shell Seekers, UK tour; Audio: Nicholas played Leon in BBC Radio 4’s, The Archers. Nicholas has also recorded numerous audio books, commercials, English language learning tapes, audio guides and has done ADR recording for several major TV and film productions, including: The Tourist, The Crown and Harry Potter. Nicholas has written four plays, all of which have been successfully produced by Creation Theatre Company: Horatio and Hamlet; Lear’s Daughters; Friar Lawrence’s Confessional, and a two person adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

Emily Woodward: Beatrice

Emily trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. Theatre credits include: The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast, The Emperor of the Moon (Creation Theatre), The Last Ones (Jermyn Street Theatre), Vivie Warren in Mrs Warren’s Profession (UK Tour), Private Lives (The Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh), The Winter’s Tale, The Grapes of Wrath, Under Milk Wood, Assumption (Mercury Theatre, Colchester), Macbeth (Drayton Theatre, London), Princess Diana in Fred and Gladys (The Landor, London), Virgins (Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh and national tour), Full Circle (UK tour). Film and TV credits include: Father Brown, Splinter, Heroes and Villains, The House Of Angelo and Doctors. Radio/Audio credits include: Tara King in multiple series of The Avengers (Big Finish), Doctor Who (Big Finish), Charlie’s Choice, Hedge of Thorns and A Peek Behind the Scenes (Lamplighter Theatre).

Anna Tolputt: Benedick Theatre includes In the Footsteps of the Mitfords, Contagion Cabaret, Around the World in 80 days (Chipping Norton), Spring Storm (National Theatre/ Northampton Royal), Larkrise to Candleford (Finborough), Midsummer

Night’s Dream, The Entertainer (Derby Playhouse), Twelfth Night, King Lear, As You Like it, Tempest, Great Expectations (Minack), Connie’s Colander, Cat in the Cupboard, Slug!, King Lear, Fahrenheit 451, Christmas Carol, 1984 (Tours) TV Credits include: A Small Light (Disney +) Emmerdale, Holby City, Waterloo Road, Moving Wallpaper, Teachers TV, From Galicia. Film Credits include: Two-Headed Creek, Hellraiser 8:Hellworld, Run Fat Boy Run, Confetti, Contagion Cabaret, The Scarcrow.

Herb Cuanalo: Claudio, Borachio Herb graduated from the Bristol Old Vic School, and is excited to be joining the Creation team! Theatre includes: The Signalman, The Emperor of the Moon (Creation Theatre), From Rushmere With Love (Eastern Angles) Hound of the Baskervilles (The Barn Theatre) A Midsummer Nights Dream (Faction Theatre) A Christmas Carol (Redbridge Arts Centre) Titus Andronicus (Siege Theatre)