Ten Fun Facts: What You May Not Know About Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing

Welcoming first audiences on June 21, one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies is a must-see! Directed this summer by long-time Festival favorite, Brad Carroll, here are some fun facts to prepare you for Much Ado About Nothing.

1. This will be the Festival’s ninth production of Much Ado About Nothing, the first being in 1965 and the most recent in 2016.

2. This is the first time the Festival will produce this play indoors, in the Randall L. Jones Theatre, bringing a fresh approach to a classic play.

3. Director Brad Carroll found design inspiration for this production from American Artist Maurice Prendergast. Painting in oil and watercolor, Prendergast created mosaic-like color and is associated with the art movement of Post-Impressionism.

4. Shakespeare also drew inspiration while writing the play. Similarities between the Claudio/Hero plot can be found from Novelle by Matteo Bandeo. Scholars also believe Shakespeare used Ludovico Ariost’s poem “Orlando Furioso.”

   

5. Much Ado About Nothing contains more prose than any other Shakespeare play. Only about 25 percent of the play is verse.

6. Ever heard of the phrase, “curiosity killed the cat?” Shakespeare used this line in the play as well: “What, courage, man! What though care killed a cat?” Although an expression similar to our modern phrase first appeared in a play by Ben Johnson in 1598, Shakespeare seemingly made the phrase popular.

7. Historians aren’t sure when the play was first performed. Although it was written between 1598 and 1599, no public performance of record was found until 1613.

8. The comedic character of Dogberry in the play was written specifically for actor William Kempe. A member of Shakespeare’s troupe, he ironically left the group in 1599, before any recorded performance of the play.

   

9. The comedic technique of “malapropism,” or the purposeful confusion of multisyllabic words, is sometimes referred to “dogberryism,” after the use of it by Dogberry in the play.

10. The verbal sparring between Beatrice and Benedick is one reason the play is so popular and is the model for witty lovers. Some say Jane Austen took inspiration for her characters of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Parallels between Shakespeare’s couple and Scarlett and Rhett in Gone With the Wind can also be seen.

It’s not too early to purchase tickets! Visit bard.org to purchase tickets and for more information about the play. Don’t miss out on our study guides, where you can find a synopsis, character summaries, and several articles on the play.