Graduate Dramatic Society - Much Ado About Nothing

Dolphin Theatre, University of Western Australia 8-9 December, 2007 Season 4-15 March, New Fortune Theatre For Audition please prepare any speech from any play of Shakespeare. Notes from the Director Much Ado about Nothing is to my mind one the Shakespeare's greatest comedies standing as it does at the beginning of the period when Shakespeare left simple good humour behind him and went on to write Hamlet, Lear and Macbeth. The play, while still very funny indeed, has moments of darkness that are absent from, say, Midsummer Night's Dream or As You like It. Don Pedro returns from war, to stay with his friend Leonato. Claudio, one of his officers, has fallen in love with Leonato's daughter Hero. He persuades Don Pedro to approach her on his behalf. His friend Benedick attacks him for wanting to marry. Benedick has a "war of wits" with Hero's cousin Beatrice, and has often publicly exchanged insults. Claudio becomes engaged to Hero, and as a joke, everyone gets together to persuade Beatrice and Benedick that the other is secretly in love with them. Beatrice and Benedick are taken in by this, and try to establish a relationship. Don John, Don Pedro's brother, falsely accuses Hero of promiscuity and Claudio renounces her at the altar. Beatrice persuades Benedick to challenge Claudio to a duel to the death. Dogberry and Verges, the local police force, capture Borachio and Conrade (Don John's accomplices) and the whole plot comes to light. Claudio, believing Hero to be dead, agrees to marry any substitute Leonato and his brother Antonio put forward. When he unveils her it is (naturally) Hero herself. Beatrice and Benedick are forced to proclaim their true feelings for each other. All ends happily. My production will be set in the 1920's, mirroring the post war scenario of the play, and examining the idea of a women's place in society, where the "New Woman" of Beatrice challenges the Victorian values of Hero. Characters (all ages indicated are "playing age", so if you are 45 and think you can pass for 16 on stage....) Leonato 40 - 60 Father figure, kindly and caring. Becomes angry and bitter when he feels his daughter has shamed him. Antonio 40 - 60 Leonato's brother. Garrulous old man. Semi comic figure. Could even be played as female role. Hero 20 - 30 Leonato's daughter. Shy and obedient. Beatrice 20 - 40 Hero's cousin. Witty, clever, dynamic, fiery and cheerful. Biggest regret was the way Benedick used her in a past relationship. Don Pedro 30 + The Prince, intelligent and dignified, yet in a sad way he is set apart from the others by his rank. Don John 20 + His bastard brother. Angry, bitter and usually melancholy. The true malcontent. Out for revenge on his brother. Benedick 20 - 40 The true male bachelor. Witty and clever, but also pompous, arrogant, big-headed and annoying. Claudio 20 - 30 Soldier turned lover (to Benedick's disgust). Ardant and intense, given to jealousy, he loves Hero deeply and publicly, yet is quick to reject her the same way. Borachio Any The name literally means "drunkard". Need I say more? In love with Margaret and out for any opportunity to make some money, works for Don John. Conrade Any Usually male, though I am happy to consider a woman. Friend of Borachio He/she gets sucked a trifle unwillingly into his schemes. Margaret 20+ Hero's maid. Chatty and talkative...thinks herself much prettier and wittier than she really is. Ursula 20+ Somewhat more restrained than Margaret, but also a maid to Hero. Dogberry Any Local policeman. thinks he is wise, careful, intelligent and cunning. An idiot. Continually (mis)uses long words that he doesn't quite understand Verges Old Dogberry's partner. The Stan Laurel to Dogberry's Oliver Hardy. If you're too young to understand this, you're too young to play him. Friar Francis Any The local priest. Like most Friars in Shakespeare, wise and caring, and full of clever little ideas to solve the cast's problems.