Much Ado About Nothing, Theatre Royal Drury Lane Review
The company of Much Ado About Nothing. Photo by Manuel Harlan
Written by Annie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The second installment of Jamie Lloyd’s stint at Theatre Royal Drury Lane is officially open. From tragedy to comedy - this time Lloyd takes on Shakespeare’s greatly adored Much Ado About Nothing and it’s a million miles away from anything we’ve seen from the company in the past year. I was eager, yet hesitant, to see how Jamie Lloyd Co would take on this play, having very much settled into the Jacobean tragedies, or musicals with sombre tales - would Lloyd’s now penned signature style be reused once again?
Walking into the auditorium was a wildly different experience to last year’s The Tempest, this time the stark bare stage was lit by neon pink strobe lighting and paired with Ibiza classic tunes pumping through the theatre. The tone for the night was immediately set, and intrigue built.
Now, I must admit I have not been the greatest fan of Lloyd’s Shakespeare productions of last year, although conceptually I hugely adore and admire his pushing of out-of-the-box ideas, I felt they were a little off the mark, feeling a little too constrained that Shakespeare’s rhythm was lost. However, I was blown away by this production - it was everything and more I could’ve hoped for - THAT is how you modernise and reimagine Shakespeare for the 21st century.
The story, following two couples - one immediately head over heels for one another, the other - your classic enemies to lovers, is a wonderful tale and one which you can understand why it still feels so relevant hundreds of years later. We are first introduced to Hero (Mara Huf) and Claudio (James Phoon) who play the young lovers with great passion and humour, playing into the gushiness of their text. Phoon’s anguish ridden monologue in Act II is particularly impressive, full of energy and understanding.
Our second couple, Beatrcie, played by the stunning Hayley Atwell, and Benedick - played by Tom Hiddleston - are a match made in heaven on stage together. Their study of their characters makes them feel so relatable and personable, despite the grandeur of the theatre, you feel so zoned in on their story. Atwell’s Beatrice is a wonderful modern take of the character, delving into the societal injustice of her script, and mocking the constraints placed on her as a female - it’s a joyous mockery instead of the classic “damned woman” narrative.
Hiddleston’s stage presence is sublime - he effortlessly leads the production with an air of coolness, and he feels like a natural born Shakespearean actor. His ability to play the fool makes the production such a joy to watch. Both Atwell and Hiddleston repeatedly break the fourth wall, which makes the production feel even more like the audience are encouraged to fully immerse in the fun of the night.
Originally set in 17th century Messina, Lloyd has transported the play into an ambiguous modern fantasy of electric pink madness. The cast, draped in Studio 54-esque costumes, continuously break out into dance breaks to Ibiza classics which act as scene changes that are incredibly slick and ensure the energy never drops.
The incredibly talented Mason Alexander Park returns to the stage after their role in The Tempest, as Hero’s attendant Margaret. After their success in their previous show, it was wonderful to see them returning with more musical additions to the show, this time performing dance floor hits such as the finale’s ‘When love takes over’ which I'm sure will have been seen already across social media.
Lloyd’s camp, flamboyant and electric take on the play seems like it shouldn’t work but it is just so magically mesmerising I found myself wanting more at the end. Act I plays entirely into this high energy mood, and is wonderfully contrasted by a more austere Act II - allowing the meddling scheme of Don John - and its effect on the characters to really be focused on.
As always with a Jamie Lloyd Co production, the staging is intentionally bare, with only chairs and a singular table used in way of props. However, the floor is covered in a sea of hot pink confetti, which continues to drop throughout the show, and a giant inflatable pink heart lowers halfway through Act I. Hiddleston hilariously uses the confetti to disguise himself whilst Don Pedro and his men speak loudly of Beatrice’s “love” for Benedick, it’s a fantastically farcical scene which had the audience in bouts of laughter.
Credit must also be given to the recent addition of lottery tickets for this show, and also the £25 tickets for key workers and younger theatregoers. Lloyd's productions has earnt (at times) ridiculous costs for seats, making them feel inaccessible to many, so it's really great to see many efforts being made to try make theatre as accessible as possible.
It was so refreshing to see a production of Shakespeare done with such success. Having seen so many openings in the past year alone - it’s started to feel slightly repetitive of “another celebrity cast Shakespeare”, and many have found that a big name doesn’t equal a box office hit. However, this production truly made me eat my words for many reasons. It is brimming with talent, as joyful as theatre can get and a true testimony of why Jamie Lloyd continues to be one of the greatest names in theatre of this century.
At Theatre Royal Drury Lane until 5 April 2025
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
