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Gulf News, 9 February 2006  Will the course of true love run smoothly between Hero (Hannah Blumhardt) and Claudio (Alex Duncan)? Claudio has his doubts.
The play is Much Ado About Nothing, possibly the wittiest and darkest of all Shakespeare comedies, and one with a very modern feel.
It has a lot to say about gender politics and the reality of romance as it follows the fortunes of two mismatched couples.
But as a love story, it’s anything but conventional.
"On the one hand we have the nice young lovers, whose fairytale romance is not all it seems. Then on the other, we have a prickly, cynical middle aged couple who look in danger of spending their lives on the shelf" says director Alan Knight.
Neither does the course of true love run smoothly.
Confirmed bachelor Benedick (Alan Knight) and the outspoken Beatrice spend half the play at each others throats before finding out – with the help of their friends –that they just can’t do without each other. Meanwhile young Hero (Hannah Blumhardt) and Claudio (Alex Duncan) fall victim to a scandal brought about by the vicious conman Don John (John Tupper).
 The irrepressible Margaret (Rebekah Tysoe) has plenty of advice for Hero (Hannah Blumhardt), some of it good.
Much Ado’s humour, though, is a great deal more bawdy than that of Pride and Prejudice, and the tale has a sinister twist.
"It’s an edgy play. It starts off as a light comedy, and changes direction halfway through…it turns very dark, a near-tragedy.
"We’ve gone for a fairly gritty approach. It has some very emotionally intense moments and there’s a bit of violence" says Alan.
"Some of the actors appear to be enjoying that far too much" .
The comic subplot is also one of Shakespeare’s most sophisticated, introducing the corrupt police officer Dogberry (Ben Middlemiss) and his gormless constables Verges (Jill Winchester) and Seacoal (Cory Martin).
"The comedy in these scenes is especially modern. It plays a lot like Blackadder or The Goon Show."
The text adaptation sticks fairly close to the original, with few cuts.
"There’s no need to update the play to make it work for a modern audience. Most of the characters speak in prose, rather than the more usual blank verse, most of the time. So it’s more informal, it has emotional immediacy."
As with 2004’s Twelfth Night, the setting has been modernised.
 Verges (Jill Winchester) arrests the troublemaker Borachio (Mike Claridge)
"There’s a sense of the men and women having to learn to get on with each other again, now that it’s peacetime. For some of them, their minds turn instantly to marriage. But then there are others – like Beatrice – who have found their independence."
The cast includes a number of familiar faces who have worked with Knight and Loughmane on previous productions, including Philip Symonds (Don Pedro), Mark James (Leonato), Rebekah Tysoe (Margaret), and Mike Claridge (Borachio). Rod Glendinning makes a return to the stage for the first time since 1999’s hit Miracle-less Fairytale, and a new actor – Jill Winchester (Verges) also makes her debut.
Much Ado About Nothing will tour the island from mid February, visiting Rocky Bay Hall (Feb 17, 18), Surfdale Reserve (Feb 24), Onetangi Hall (Feb 25), Fossil Bay Farm (matinee, Feb 26), and MORRA Hall (3, 4 March, with closing matinee 5 March). Theatregoers are reminded that there will be no Artworks performance.
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