by William Shakespeare
Additional text by Erin Shields
Directed by Chris Abraham
There will be one 20-minute intermission.
This production includes haze.
"a shoo-in for future lists of all-time greatest Stratford shows” – The Globe and Mail
“two brilliant actors lock wits” – Toronto Star
“fresh and fun” – Broadway World
“I DO LOVE NOTHING IN THE WORLD SO WELL AS YOU—IS NOT THAT STRANGE?”
The story follows Beatrice and Benedick, two quick-witted and sarcastic individuals who are happily single, but whose friends believe they would make a great romantic match. Set in the Early Modern world, an era of ever-changing attitudes towards marriage and power, the play presents a society at once filled with progressive feminist impulses and countervailing forces rooted in traditional patriarchal values. With his astonishing wit and insight, Shakespeare explores the complexities that underlie these growing social tensions.
Setting: Southern Italy, Elizabethan period.
House Program: Much Ado About Nothing
Runtime: Two hours and 53 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission.*
*Please note that all run times are approximate.
Production support is generously provided by Priscilla Costello, by John & Therese Gardner, by the Harkins & Manning families in memory of Jim & Susan Harkins, by The Jentes Family and by Dr. Desta Leavine in memory of Pauline Leavine.Support for the 2023 season of the Festival Theatre is generously provided by Daniel Bernstein & Claire Foerster.Photo credits: From left – Maev Beaty and Graham Abbey. Photo by Ted Belton.
This production is dedicated to the memory of Trudy Watson. Trudy joined the Stratford Festival in 1990 and served in a number of roles in the Advancement and Marketing Departments, ultimately becoming the Director of Marketing—a position she held until her passing earlier this year.
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