Much Ado About Nothing

Simon Russell Beale and Zoe Wanamaker star as Benedick and Beatrice in the National Theatre’s production of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Nicholas Hytner directs.

Promise of a masked ball hastens the men from battle to the festive house of Leonato, where beautiful, wealthy young Hero catches the eye of Claudio, the dashing soldier. Instantly attracted to each other, they rush into marriage. There is no such hurry for seasoned singles Beatrice and Benedick, whose scorn for love and penchant for verbal sparring provoke their scheming friends to plot a happy ending.