Much Ado About Nothing, David Tennant and Catherine Tate – review

Much Ado About Nothing

With David Tennant and Catherine Tate as the verbally sparring antagonists,

Josie Rourke’s vibrant, sun-kissed revival of Shakespeare’s comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, set in

the 80’s, was bound to be a hot ticket.

There’s decent work in the supporting roles – from Jonathan Coy’s defensive

father, Elliot Levey’s uncomfortable villain, and (making his professional

debut) Tom Bateman’s hunky, jealous Claudio.

But it’s impossible to take one’s eyes off Tennant’s mercurial Benedick who,

with a broad Scottish accent and starched white uniform, arrives in a golf

buggy (rather than the Tardis), covers his Superman T-Shirt in paint and

sports a micro-mini skirt with aplomb before accepting that he does indeed

love Beatrice.

And although Tate can’t match his range or subtlety, she

successfully conveys the vulnerability beneath her sarcastic put-downs in

this fast-paced, fun production of Much Ado About Nothing.

4/5

Wyndhams, Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0DA
0844 482 5120

Tube: Leicester Square
MuchAdoOnStage.com
Until 3rd September
£16-£61.00 (Day seat lottery 20 top price seats available at £10)

– Louise Kingsley