See it if you love Shakespeare, enjoy physical comedy
Don't see it if Can't strip Much Ado entirely of baked-in purity culture
See it if a perfectly adequate production of a non-incredible shakespeare play
Don't see it if you want to see something new, something mind-blowing
See it if you want to see a bright, clever, funny, entertaining production. I laughed the whole time. Brilliant comedy and acting
Don't see it if you don’t like Shakespeare, his comedies, or if you can’t let loose and enjoy a bit of British humor or wit. I had a blast
See it if you want an accessible Shakespeare production with a great cast and inventive staging
Don't see it if you don't like Shakespeare or long performances
See it if you enjoy delightfully unexpected bits of physical comedy in your Shakespeare
Don't see it if you don't enjoy Shakespeare. Duh. Read more
See it if you enjoy modern adaptations of Shakespeare, funny plays and a bit of dancing and singing
Don't see it if you prefer traditional adaptations of Shakespeare and dislike the accordion
See it if You like Shakespeare, and want something different. The Globe itself is an amazing experience, even with standing tickets.
Don't see it if Your English is weak, and you don't like long dialogues
See it if You love Shakespeare or you have never seen it before. This show was one that I’ll remember for a long time. Everything was perfect!
Don't see it if I can’t thing of anything. If you don’t like standing, but a seat. If the seats are too expensive, buy a standing ticket!
Bailey’s joyful production of Shakespeare’s play glows with the warmth of the Italian sun. This is a smart, stylish, grown-up staging, and the most purely pleasurable evening I’ve had at the Globe in yonks.
Read more
Defined by its attention to detail, it balances directorial innovation with actorly inspiration. Some of the ‘business’ drags ... though the organised chaos of the incompetent night watchmen in the second half is a joy.
Read more
Lucy Bailey’s production is a thoroughly elegant one. A gender-reversed Leonata (Katy Stephens) gives an especially strong performance, alongside Davis and Phelps, whose verbal swordplay sparkles with intelligence and mischief.
Read more
In a production by Lucy Bailey that elegantly feminises some of the power structures, Katy Stephens is a standout. The sense of fun, finally, is all the more infectious for having been tested ... [in a] production that embraces this sweet and sour play’s contradictions with a forgiving smile on its face.
Read more
The second act’s sickly lurch into tragedy comes as a shock ... the darkness doesn't quite land. It's a memorable start to the summer season, full of music and mayhem in equal measure.
Read more
The overall breezy tone means that the sudden shifts into darkness feels more marked. But this darkness is quickly banished ... in a production intent on spreading good cheer and warm feeling, a little sunshine after a hard winter.
Read more
This is a comedy and a hugely satisfying one at that. The darker interpretation here of some aspects of the text serves to throw the funny stuff into such relief that it soars. This Much Ado About Nothing is as sparkling and heady as an extra dry prosecco: it's a real treat.
Read more
Much of the energy of Shakespeare’s script comes from the fact that the characters are decompressing after a war, and Bailey ensures that we do not forget this, even as we get whirled up in the absurdity. Bailey has marked herself out through her inspirational collaborations with designers and this is no exception.
Read more