Much Ado About Not(h)ing

by William Shakespeare

Adapted and directed by Kelly Wilson

Music by Alex Loveless and Scott Howland

 

Earl Arts Centre, Launceston – 13-16 August, 2025

Studio Theatre, Hobart – 21-23 August, 2025

Town Hall Theatre, Devonport – 27 August, 2025

 

Original music by Alex Loveless, award-winning composer, lyricist and lecturer at the London College of Music, and Scott Howland, MA Text and Performance graduate from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and co-founder of N2P. A shorter version of this production was awarded a high distinction for Kelly Wilson’s Master’s dissertation production in July 2017 at RADA. The adaptation retains the original Shakespearean text, while modifying some dramatic situations, language and characters to reflect a contemporary, 21st century digital society. For information about and images of the 2019 London performance of this production, go to https://www.adaptivitytheatrecompany.com/much-ado-about-not-h-ing-london.

 

Cast: (in order of appearance)

​

Joan Nicola Don, Pedro’s half-sister, working in military intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Amy Fawkner

Pedro Charles Don, corporal in Benedick’s section, Leonato’s godson . . . . . . . . . . . . .Campbell Stebbings

Benedick Howland, sergeant in Australian army, formerly dated Beatrice . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Bryg

Claudio Parr, corporal in Benedick’s section, Pedro's best friend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Topperwien

Leonato Elliott, former Premier of Tasmania and Hero's father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David Lee

Ursula Levinson, Leonato’s sister, Beatrice’s and Hero’s aunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Brient

Beatrice Taylor, Leonato’s and Ursula’s niece, Hero’s cousin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rebecca Jee

Hero Elliott-Campbell, Leonato's daughter, in love with Claudio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mel Grossman

Sean Levinson, Ursula’s son, assault pioneer in the Australian army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nathaniel Wood

Borachio Moss, caterer and computer gamer, infatuated with Joan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bryce Schreuder

Margaret Jeffery, maid working in Leonato’s household . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Billie Ford

​

Singing Roles:

Benedick Howland, baritone/tenor

Claudio Parr, tenor

Ursula Levinson, alto

Hero Elliott-Campbell, mezzo-soprano

Beatrice Taylor, mezzo-soprano

 

Play Synopsis:

It’s 2021, in fair Tasmania, where we lay our scene. Benedick, Claudio and Pedro Don have returned from their deployment in Afghanistan, ahead of Australia’s final withdrawal. Ancient grudge has broken to new mutiny between Pedro and his half-sister, Joan Don, upon the recent death of their father, from whom Joan has been estranged for many years. In response to his father’s last request, Pedro attempts to build a relationship with Joan. Meanwhile, Pedro’s godfather, former Premier of Tasmania, Leonato Elliott, tries to support his godson through this time of grief and reconciliation by inviting him and Joan, along with Claudio and Benedick, to a welcome home celebration. Preparing for the party are his daughter Hero, niece Beatrice and sister Ursula, who is waiting to hear from her son Sean, injured in Afghanistan.

 

Directorial Interpretation:

Written in 1598, Much Ado About Nothing is one of William Shakespeare’s best comedies, combining robust hilarity with solemn meditations on shame, honour, the nature of love and forgiveness, and the human power to change and to choose. When viewed through a contemporary lens, this play seems to be inspired by one alternative title: Much Ado About Noting. During the English Renaissance, ‘noting’ (meaning rumour or overhearing) sounded very similar to ‘nothing’, used in the title of the play. It’s through noting that Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into professing their love for each other and by founding his belief on nothing, Claudio is tricked into refusing to marry Hero. This word play has inspired the unusual title for this production, Much Ado About Not(h)ing, the use of the parenthesis indicating that the ‘h’ in the word ‘nothing’ can be retained or deleted: noting or nothing.

 

Much Ado About Not(h)ing explores what we, as a 21st century society, take most note of. Do we take note of the people and events that occur around us in the ‘mortal world’, or do we become so entrenched in our ‘digital world’ that we spend most of our day looking at a computer screen or our mobile phone? Through this innovative concept, mobile devices are an integral element of the performance. The audience is actively immersed in the dilemma of the production as soon as they’re invited to turn ON their mobile phones at the beginning of the performance. They can choose between viewing the live performances presented by the actors onstage or within the digital world, which can be accessed through Facebook on their mobile phones. Digital projections of images and live Facebook newsfeeds, as well as movement and dance, are integrated to present visually elements of Shakespeare’s text. Music also heightens moments of emotional joy or turmoil through the conversion of selected Shakespearean text into lyrics for original music. This play with music contains a total of seven songs, two of which were intended by Shakespeare to be songs in his original text.​​​​​​​​​​​