Much Ado About Nothing is an exuberant tale of love and enchantment set against a backdrop of mistaken identities and bawdy good fun. With his wedding a week away, hot-blooded Claudio cannot wait to marry the beautiful young Hero. To distract him, his best friend derives delightful mischief by setting a romantic trap for the sharp-tongued Beatrice and the man she most loves to hate; the arrogant, confirmed bachelor Benedick. Beatrice and Benedick profess mutual loathing, and exchange barbed witticisms at each other's expense. But their

Photo by Laura Durant

Dana Patch as Hero and Ben Patch as Claudio

amused friends know that they're made for each other, and engineer a plot to bring them together. Their amusement is almost spoiled by the rakish Don John. But this is a Shakespeare comedy! In the end, the deceptions are revealed, solidarity is restored, and love wins the day, proving it was really all much ado about nothing. The Shakespeare Theatre is proud to end its eighth season with one of Shakespeare's brightest comedies, where dark clouds may loom, but lightness carries the day.