File:Much_Ado_Quarto.JPG · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Written by
- William Shakespeare
- Characters
- Antonio, Balthasar, Beatrice , Benedick, Borachio, Claudio, Conrade, Dogberry , Don John, Don Pedro , Friar Frances, Hero , Innogen, Leonato, Margaret, Ursula, Verges
- Original language
- Early Modern English
- Genre
- Comedy
- Setting
- Messina , Italy
via Wikipedia infobox
~29 min read
Encyclopedic overview
John Gielgud as Benedick in a 1959 production Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599. The play was included in the First Folio, published in 1623.
The play is set in Messina and revolves around two romantic pairings that emerge when a group of soldiers arrive in the town. The first, between Claudio and Hero, is nearly scuppered by the accusations of the villain, Don John. The second, between Claudio's friend Benedick and Hero's cousin Beatrice, takes centre stage as the play continues, with both characters' wit and banter providing much of the humour.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Much Ado About Nothing” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.