Much Ado About Nothing

whatsonstage - 5 stars

"This exuberant production squeezes every ounce of comedy from Shakespeare's play about the irresistible power of love, and discovers new laughs you never knew were there.... The cast are all bursting with infectious energy and set out their stall with a very contemporary opening... The jousting of wits between Beatrice and Benedick is superbly done.

"Christopher Neels is a force of nature as Benedick – like an adorable but untrainable puppy, he rollocks energetically through life making a joke of everything....Neels' physical comedy is completely without compromise, and he fills the space with his warmth and zest....

"Director Ross McGregor is clearly overflowing with ideas, and with this mightily talented cast and production team behind him, has created a show that gives full measure to the manifest cruelty shown to Hero, but succeeds in its aim to entertain wholeheartedly."

  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Jane Martin, WHATSONSTAGE

remote goat - 4 stars

"Simon James Collier’s production of “Much Ado About Nothing”, directed and adapted by Ross McGregor, at the Lion and Unicorn in Kentish Town is certainly not a generic production of Shakespeare’s classic comedy.  At the start the entire cast mime to a rap song while we see the sometime lovers Beatrice (Hannah Ellis) and Benedick (Christopher Neels) embrace, lock limbs and then angrily break up.  Other changes include eliminating the role of Don John and giving his lines to Don Pedro (Ben Bradford), who is secretly having an affair with his manservant Conrade (Darren Bendict).

"In the first half of the play these changes in balance work spectacularly well. Most productions tend to underplay the Beatrice/Benedick relationship.  However, in this case the posturing of the two lovers, who are too proud to admit their feeling for each other, is exploited for full comic effect. The two ‘discovery’ scenes alone are masterclasses in physical comedy that are alone worth the price of admission. Bradford also stands out, manipulating Ben Kerfoot’s Claudio into distrusting his feelings for Hero, played by the charming Remy Moynes.

"Despite the controversial interpretation of the Claudio/Hero relationship, this is a strong, imaginative production that everyone should make an effort to see. Indeed, it is one of the best Fringe productions of the year so far."

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Matthew Partridge, REMOTEGOAT