Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare in the Park)

See it if 1 of Will's great comedies; high-energy, laugh-out-loud production; beautiful singing & kinetic dance

Don't see it if best when Beatrice & Benedick jousting w each other are equals, here Bea dominates Ben; broad in your face production lacks wit

Also The core of this comedy deals w how dangerous and corrosive artifice ("fake news") can be. And how easily people are taken in by fakery. The central event: the faked seduction of "Hero" leads to her denunciation by her future husband, even her father. Even the hilarious bringing together of Beatrice and Benedick through trickery shows how people can be easily manipulated. But since this is a comedy, everything works out well in the end. The director has said he intends to use the production to show how joy and optimism can prevail over today's cynicism and gloom. In that he succeeds. But in updating the play, he also could have used its core message to underscore how dangerous our times have become, where the population is routinely manipulated w lies or even worse has stopped caring about the difference between truth and lies.... Read more Read less

See it if you’re looking for a fresh, modern interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. The acting is terrific.

Don't see it if you’re a Shakespeare purist. Also, the last 2 minutes suffers from a forced message that’s completely irrelevant to the play. Very strange.

See it if you like adaptations that remain faithful but contextualization and line delivery is modern. Wonderful performance from Danielle Brooks.

Don't see it if you don't like any Shakespeare, you do not like political context, do not want to sit outside. Around 3 hours including intermission.

See it if You enjoy a good Shakespeare play. Great acting, singing, and story. Super funny and accessible.

Don't see it if You are tired of Much Ado About nothing and have seen it enough. Putting it in the modern era didn't really serve the story.

See it if So good the repartee sounds unscripted. Most entertaining comedy I’ve seen in a while. Shakespeare in the Park at its best.

Don't see it if you prefer productions that are stilted, antiquated, & ultimately disposable for being so disengaged from what’s enduringly funny/relatable.

Also Run ends today :( It’s really too bad, because the show is unmissable. Major kudos to Kenny Leon and cast. Brooks and Coleman deliver everything you hope for and more in Beatrice and Benedick.

The clincher: The line, "Kill Claudio," is usually off-the-charts melodramatic. But Brooks (& the entire cast up to this point) manages to make the demand come from a very real place. The audience gasped—and later cheered. Benedick's comprehension & alliance w/ Beatrice became more meaningful & vital than I expected. That Leon reimagined characters' melodramatic impulsivity as thoughtful response (with a delicate touch that didn't drag down the comedy) sets this production apart and above.... Read more Read less

See it if A terrific cast brings this classic to life in a new way. The use of modern music enhances the play. Great costumes.

Don't see it if If you're not fond of Shakespeare, or if you prefer your Shakespeare old-style, maybe this isn't for you. Poor you.

See it if great acting in a play one has seen so often. well stage and never dragged.

Don't see it if seen too many Much Ados. Another one is not really needed. The contemporary thing seems to be just tacked-on that didn't add anything.

See it if you want wonderfully staged Shakespeare comedy set in contemporary black America. Funny, entertaining. Great acting, esp. Brooks & Coleman.

Don't see it if you don't want Shakespeare's original text, albeit made accessible by great performances/staging. A trifle long at times, but quite good.

See it if You want to see one of the best Beatrice's ever or a fabulous night out in the park. I wish more Shakespeare were done in this style.

Don't see it if No real reason not to, unless you hate Shakespeare comedies or getting rained on.

See it if You want a thoroughly delightful rendering of one of the Bard's most effervescent pieces.

Don't see it if You do not care one whit for any sort of contemporary takes on Shakespeare's work.

Also “He breathed upon dead bodies and brought them into life. Nor sequent centuries could hit Orbit and sum of Shakespeare’s wit.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Shakespeare's wit breathes life still. This wonderfully buoyant production of Much Ado is as fierce as any. While, as its title would indicate, it may not be Shakespeare's magnum opus, it is a strong and entertaining piece.

Danielle Brooks and Grantham Coleman, as the ever-quarreling Beatrice and Benedick, are the heart of it all. And they're chemistry is wonderful.

Kenny Leon's direction is equally effective through Much Ado's comedic and dramatic moments.

The set design is wonderful, and quite a change from the last few shows I've seen at the Delacort. As an added bonus, the Belvedere Castle is no longer under construction, adding to the beauty of the surroundings.

When I saw the show, it had a late start and had to be stopped and resumed once due to rain. Thank you to the performers who braved the rain to perform.... Read more Read less

See it if You like Shakespeare as performed by the Public Theater in Central Park, you will be delighted with this interpretation.Great fun!

Don't see it if You prefer Shakespeare perforned in the traditional manner with no undates & music.

See it if you love Shakespeare and you don't mind updated versions as long as they are true to the spirit of the original.

Don't see it if you don't like Shakespeare OR you don't like Shakespeare if it is updated or has any changes in time and place.

See it if Such a fresh take on my favorite Shakespeare play. Resonant messaging for today’s climate with songs and performances that enhanced it all.

Don't see it if You don’t want your Shakespeare relevant and accessible, as it was meant to be! Also Danielle brooks was a wonder!

See it if You like Shakespeare in an original away

Don't see it if Updating Shakespeare bothers you.

See it if You like Shakespeare without the affectation. You like new/modern settings for Shakespeare.

Don't see it if You only like Shakespeare done in stodgy accents.

Also I am an unapologetic lover of all things Shakespeare and this was an amazing production.

How glorious to hear people just speaking the words in modern voices/accents.

The setting in current Atlanta worked perfectly. Frankly I loved seeing an all Black cast directed by a brilliant Black director (Kenny Leon is a treasure).

Danielle Brooks is a freaking powerhouse in every way.

The staging was great - it was funny and touching and if you didn’t know the story it was edge of your seat when it needed to be.

The best Shakespeare in the Park I’ve seen in years.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a different presentation of shakespeare. normally don't like shakespeare but this I got into

Don't see it if you enjoy typical presentation of this type of play

See it if you love great performances al fresco.

Don't see it if you aren't a Shakespeare fan in general. Despite the modern setting, this one feels very traditional in execution.

See it if this modern day version of Shakespeare shows that The Bard's work never goes out of date. Wonderful cast puts women in charge.

Don't see it if you don't like intelligent comedy wonderfully presented in a glorious setting.

See it if you love Shakespeare, Shakespeare in the Park & NYC - this is a great production with a modern twist that delights and feels relevant to all

Don't see it if lots of characters are too hard for you to keep track of. It's long -- 2.5 hours.

See it if Shakepeare set in present day Atlanta with upper-class black people with "street" energy. "Stacy Abrams 2020" poster looms unexplained.

Don't see it if You want to see a seriously conceived Shakespearean production and are not interested in a Showtime at the Apollo or flash over substance.

See it if One of the best productions of Shakespeare in the park

Don't see it if You only like classic Shakespeare

See it if Exuberant, near-perfect staging that brings out the text's magic, all while feeling like a John Legend concert.

Don't see it if I could quibble with the ending or some actors' chemistry, but it wouldn't diminish this excellent production hitting all the right notes.

See it if you've never seen Much Ado before or can't get enough of it. This adaptation is fun and original in a lot of ways. B&B are great to watch.

Don't see it if you'll be bothered by a production that doesn't succeed in every sense. Some characters/scenes are stronger than others.

Also The frame for this production generally works. The all-black cast and modern setting bring a freshness and allow for some original interpretations.

Danielle Brooks as Beatrice and Grantham Coleman as Benedick are dynamic and wonderful, and sparks fly as they spar. They are standouts among a cast that, otherwise, ranges from totally fine to cringe-worthy.

The production is more successful in light moments than dramatic or poignant ones, with the exception of the night watch scenes, which don't work at all. The director's choice for Dogberry's character seems inexplicable, as it removes all the humor from the pompous and idiotic head of the watch. The best thing to be said about those scenes is that they're relatively fast.

Still, this is a fun and snappy production overall, with an attractive set and costumes. Most of the audience stayed until the end, despite a downpour that caused a 20 minute pause, and continued drizzle throughout. We left damp but in good spirits!... Read more Read less

See it if you like Shakespeare's comedies and enjoy a fresh interpretation with an excellent cast.

Don't see it if you do not want to laugh!

See it if you have a pulse. Shakespeare aficionados will love it and those that consider themselves Shakespeare-illiterate will find it accessible.

Don't see it if ....there's no reason. It's the most accessible and one of the most successful Shakespeare plays I've ever seen.