#muchadoaboutnothing

[consanguinitatum]

David as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (the first time he did it, that is!)

David Tennant fans are aware of 2011's brilliant Much Ado About Nothing, in which DT starred as Benedick, alongside Catherine Tate as Beatrice. Filmed at the Wyndham's Theatre in London and directed by Josie Rourke, the production was recorded and offered on Digital Theatre.

But did you know David had played Benedick before?

Yep - he sure has!

It was in 2001, a full decade before his production with Catherine.

Beginning in 1999, BBC Radio 3 launched Shakespeare For The Millennium, an ambitious project to dramatize seventeen Shakespeare productions in four years.

The project was done in collaboration with BBC Worldwide, which emphasized it wanted to take a contemporary, innovative approach to the Bard. It launched on 12 September 1999 with a Shakespeare discussion panel, and a new production of Hamlet -- starring none other than Michael Sheen as the Dane!

On 23 September 2001, BBC Radio 3 broadcast a new production of Much Ado About Nothing as the Sunday Play, with David in the lead role as Benedick and Samantha Spiro as Beatrice. Adapted by Sally Avens, it featured an introduction (as had all the previous productions in the Shakespeare For The Millennium series) by Richard Eyre, the former Director of the Royal National Theatre.

The production also starred a few other recognizable names. There was Chiwetel Ejiofor as Claudio, Emilia Fox as Hero, David Swift as Leonato, Julian Rhind-Tutt as Don John, and David Haig as Dogberry.

All original music was composed and performed by Simon Oakes and Adam Wolters.

Radio listings and announcements, and promo photos of David and Samantha Spiro

Here's a review of the prodcuction!

Much Ado About Nothing was commercially released by BBC Worldwide as part of the BBC Radio collection series in 2001.

The sleeve notes of cassettes and CDs of the production include a scene-by-scene synopsis, a full character analysis, and an essay on interpretation from the director Sally Avens.

Almost four years later, in November 2005, BBC One broadcast a television series called ShakespeaRe-Told, a set of four adaptations of Shakespeare's plays. Each play was adapted by a different writer, and all were relocated to the present day.

The first to be broadcast - on 7 November 2005 - was a modern-day version of Much Ado About Nothing starring Sarah Parrish and Damien Lewis...and Billie Piper and Nina Sosanya and Olivia Colman!

You can watch it here:

Six days after this television broadcast - on 13 November 2005 at 7:15 pm - BBC Radio 3 re-broadcast the audio version starring David and Samantha in its 'Drama On 3' slot.

Fast forward to August 2020.

The BBC released a set of four BBC Radio Shakespeare collections: Histories, Comedies, Tragedies, and Roman Plays. Much Ado About Nothing was included in the collection of Comedies, and became available as an Audible digital download.

If you want to listen, you can find this collection a lot of places. It might be at your local library or on Overdrive, on Google Play, or as an Amazon Audible book.

Or, ya know, just go here:

#DavidTennant #ObscureDavidTennantPerformances #DavidTennantAudios #MuchAdoAboutNothing #Youtube

[definitelymustard]

Don Pedro is a damn good man

He sacrificed his chances with Beatrice and then proceeded to scheme a way to get the two denials together

You'd think that the most he would deserve was a thank you?

But no, He was told, In the words of Benedick, ''Get you a wife''

I guess that's the fate of Cupid

Cupid is no longer an archer: his glory shall be ours, for we are the only love-gods - Don Pedro

#much ado about nothing #muchadoaboutnothing #shakespeare #william shakespeare #williamshakespeare

[adeadlyobsession]

Dumbledore left Harry with the Dursleys because, in order to groom him to die, he needed a Harry Potter who learnt that his life has no value. You can only give up your life when you've been taught it means nothing.

I also like this post that Tom must have been suicidal too, and I think he was just fighting really hard against it (fake it 'til you make it) but he was taught the exact same thing: that his life doesn't matter at all. It makes sense that in war torn muggle London, no one's lives are ultimately important under bombs, but the fact that his life could have been important enough to protect and nobody (Dumbledore) who could change that did anything in the wizarding world to make him think otherwise, well...

Tom chose rebellion, anger and violence when faced with the lack of care of the whole world. He chose to make himself matter, no matter how little he believed it himself deep down. He lived in denial up to the very end.

Harry chose obedience and acceptance, already believing that no matter what he did, he did not matter at all. He lived in dissociation up to the very end.

Neither of these are good. Both need therapy. But Tom probably had the better idea there, cause he did make his life matter for himself. He gave himself meaning. Harry never gets to do that, and it makes even more sense how shitty of a dad he becomes in Cursed Child if we know he still lives in dissociation then, only being constantly triggered by his son's actions without understanding he is being triggered at all because he has no connection to his feelings whatsoever. Feelings? His feelings? Doesn't matter, because deep down, he still doesn't matter.

#tom riddle #harry potter #albus dumbledore #anti albus dumbledore #meta #cursed child #my writing #muchADOaboutnothing

[pepzapata]

#shakespeare #williamshakespeare #theatre #literature #muchadoaboutnothing #coverart #art #illustration #mixmedia #classicliterature #englishliterature #books #bookcover #play #bookstagram #audiobooks

[chameleon777-me]

Meet my interpretation of Benedick from 'Much Ado About Nothing.' This interpretation came to life today when I played the character of Benedick for a Zoom performance of Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing' that was hosted by a group called Two Houses in Fair Corona: A Shakespeare Reading Group. #muchadoaboutnothing #messina #shakespeare #comedy #humor #romance #romantic #wit #intrigue #action #monologues #moods #emotions #play #theatre #zoom #performanceart #characterdesign #characterart #character #gentleman #loveable #crossdressing #actor #actorslife #performer #performingathome #entertainer #entertainment #entertainingathome https://www.instagram.com/p/CnIshlrJvU2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#muchadoaboutnothing #messina #shakespeare #comedy #humor #romance #romantic #wit #intrigue #action #monologues #moods #emotions #play #theatre #zoom #performanceart #characterdesign #characterart #character #gentleman #loveable #crossdressing #actor #actorslife #performer #performingathome #entertainer #entertainment #entertainingathome

[subculturemedia-blog]

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING - Nick Cameron Interview

#australianshakespearecompany #davidgriffiths #muchadoaboutnothing #nickcameron #subculture #subcultureentertainment #subcultureradio

[sarahrcubitt13]

Nothing Happened (Shakespeare Retelling #1) - Prologue (on Wattpad) https://www.wattpad.com/1024210705-nothing-happened-shakespeare-retelling-1-prologue?utm_source=web&utm_medium=tumblr&utm_content=share_reading&wp_uname=SarahRCubitt13&wp_originator=Q53tNM2rDlTkM7RCoHYIj6gVxlXjoJ5e6ccGehREuGPRFSzQ%2B922p405uNr2SAQzOqh5jog0cjiEifqeTozQpDr0vGtE%2FWF5IsgISl4bvmJ7ivJmfRfZbe3n6BAKn0u7 Messina Academy for young ladies has seen its fair share of influential students pass through its halls, though nothing could prepare it and its students for the year to come. For the first time in 50 years, boys will walk the ancient building's halls due to a fire being set at the boy's school, St Joseph's. The boys aren't the only new faces, as Beatrice and Anthony Davis have moved to Scotland after their parents' deaths. The pair's only relief was that they were going to a place where close family and friends were to help them through their grief. As the year starts, the usual madness of high school takes over their lives and Beatrice's sweet cousin Hana finds herself falling hard and fast for Cole Singer, meaning Beatrice finds herself having to spend an increasing amount of time around the boy's friends; Benny Quinn - her rival since the age of fourteen - and Peter Balthazar MacDonald - All round great guy. The only way to keep up with the chaos of it all is through The Watch's podcast, run by a budding bumbling detective duo who stumble on the conspiracy against Peter and are determined to get to the bottom of it all! Despite the title of this book, this year will be full of gossip, masquerades, a manipulative villain, honour, desire, wit, pride and passionate love for the students at Messina Academy for young ladies. Nothing Happened is a modern-day retelling of Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing. *This story is exclusive only to Watt pad and Watt-pad alone. If it is seen anywhere else it is stolen!*

#chicklit #friendship #highschool #humor #love #lovestory #miscommunication #missunderstanding #muchadoaboutnothing #mystery #podcast #retelling #romance #romance-friendship #sarahrcubitt #shakespeare #sweetheart #teenagers #teendrama #teenfiction #teenromance #youngadult #books #wattpad #amreading

[johnmcannon]

A bit of a to do actually… #muchadoaboutnothing @stratford_east @rampsonthemoon https://www.instagram.com/p/CkjaT1VIl6m/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#muchadoaboutnothing

[travellianna]

#london #theglobe @the_globe Finally made it and we loved #muchadoaboutnothing #clever #funny #whereintheworldislianna (at Shakespeare's Globe) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChsZTYxjcxo/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#london #theglobe #muchadoaboutnothing #clever #funny #whereintheworldislianna

[presleycollectibles]

Robert Owen Clarke OBE (born 1949), known as Oz Clarke, is a British wine writer, actor, television presenter and broadcaster. He played one of the first criminals apprehended by #Superman in the 1978 film Superman, a terrorist in Superman II, a Special Branch man in #whodareswins and #Balthasar in Stuart Burge’s 1984 film of #MuchAdoAboutNothing. . . . . . . #autograph #moviememorabilia #availableforsale #autographs #celebrityautograph #signedphoto #promophoto #handsigned #autographedphoto #handsignedphoto #autographcollector #autographcollection @presleycollectibles #ozclarke #winewriter #tvpresenter #supermanfan https://www.instagram.com/p/CgD_s54NmrA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#superman #whodareswins #balthasar #muchadoaboutnothing #autograph #moviememorabilia #availableforsale #autographs #celebrityautograph #signedphoto #promophoto #handsigned #autographedphoto #handsignedphoto #autographcollector #autographcollection #ozclarke #winewriter #tvpresenter #supermanfan

[2nd-mushroom-circle]

and what if i said beatrice and margaret muchadoaboutnothing were exes. what then

#much ado #much ado about nothing #shakespeare #i WILL elaborate i have evidence

[common-grackle]

hero muchadoaboutnothing is so interesting because she feels like a main character when you're talking about the play - like, it's about beatrice and benedick and hero and claudio - but she really does Not talk that much. like at all. i have so much respect for anyone who plays hero and makes her feel like a fully formed character because like... she's in so many scenes but only has 50 lines or something (rough estimate)

#much ado #much ado about nothing

[transfemmbeatrice]

beatrice muchadoaboutnothing is a trans woman: a brief treatise

thematically, i think in a play about the social vulnerability of women, having a character be a trans woman just makes sense as a way to provide depth to that idea. specifically, i love the concept of beatrice's view of men being informed by her own experiences as a closeted trans woman (it's amazing what people will say in front of you when they think you're one of them) and as someone later facing sexism and transmisgoyny.

usually when someone does a trans reading of this play/character, they look at beatrice's famous speech about wishing she was a man and interpret her as a trans man, which is perfectly valid! but this idea started for me with the simple thought that i wanted an out and accepted trans character to play with rather than a closeted one who cannot transition, just as a matter of personal preference at that particular time and with this particular text. but then i kept thinking.

as above, the concept of beatrice reading men for filth in the context of having lived among them is great. the "oh god that i were a man" speech is extremely disparaging of men and what they claim to be vs how they actually wield their power. what she wishes is that she had the power that men have automatically in her society--felt all the more keenly because there was a time when she was able to wield that power and she gave it up to be happy, to be herself, to be free in a different way. (here is where i sometimes imagine beatrice regretting ever transitioning, believing that her own happiness and health is less important than having the power to protect hero's happiness and health, because i love angst.) but now that the worst has happened, she is reduced to begging a man for help and it's demeaning and infuriating and tragic.

i also love turning on its head the line "i cannot be a man with wishing, therefore i will die a woman with grieving." being a trans person, dealing with internalized transphobia, knowing that transitioning will put a target on your back, wishing you could just be the gender you're born as--but no amount of wishing will make her not a woman. i think she loves herself and her gender but the play is focusing on points of conflict so that's what i'm talking about here.

in a play about misogyny, the vulnerability of women, and the hypocrisy of men, a trans woman has a unique perspective on both masculinity and femininity both as genders and places in society. (in the ideal version, i think john would be a trans man to mirror this experience, but that would require him to be rewritten to have actual depth and personality and all that is a different essay). there is also just a particular kind of strength that comes from having to carve out and defend your identity in that way which i think fits her very well.

lastly, a couple of other miscellaneous things from the text that can tie in:

beatrice recounting "a double heart for his single one" meaning both "i loved him twice as much as he loved me" and "i loved him as two people: [birthname] and beatrice"

benedick insisting he wouldn't marry her even if "she were endowed with all that Adam had left him before he transgressed." Adam, not Eve. in MY illustrious opinion, this is benedick saying "i don't care HOW big her dick is i'm NOT gonna marry her."

#also shakespeare loved crossdressing and gender fuckery so i think trans readings of his works are just extra fun #against me drinking with the jocks is such a beatrice song to me wrt a lot of the stuff i talked about here #some of this definitely also comes from vivek shraya's i'm afraid of men #also to note for anyone coming across this that doesn't know me: i'm trans/genderqueer so that's the perspective this is coming from #much ado about nothing #beatrice #much ado #trans readings #shakespeare #my content

[adeadlyobsession]

Headcanons?

I was thinking about my personal headcanons for Tom Riddle, and honestly, I don’t really have any. 

Sweet, fluffy, in love Tom Riddle? Love it! Possessive and obsessive Tom Riddle? Yes please! Absolute sadist, incapable of real love, just in it for the sex Tom Riddle/Lord Voldemort? Absolutely!

That and everything in between! Gay, straight, bi, trans, neurodivergent, Tomarry, Tomione, Tom/OC, I really love reading all the different takes on Tom Riddle there are out there. I love when he hates muggles, love when he hates the wizarding world, love when he finds redemption, love when he’s powerful, love when he’s destroyed beyond repair, love when he’s ripping at the seam, whatever flavour of Tom Riddle there is, I love it. Since there is so little said about his character verbatim in the books, it’s really fun to go ahead and play with what we don’t know, transform what we do know into something that suits what we was, he’s very versatile for that, being mostly a uni-dimensional villain in canon. 

So when you hit me up with your requests, keep in mind that unless you want a specific kind of Riddle, my idea of him is going to change according to whatever my mind comes up with when writing the prompts I’m given. So don’t be afraid to tell me exactly the kind of thing you want me to write! Otherwise, be ready for a surprise everytime (although I do have the feeling that as I write more of him, I’ll settle somewhere into my favourite version of him).

#tom riddle #tom riddle x reader #tom riddle x oc #tom riddle x y/n #harry potter #my writing #muchADOaboutnothing

[saintbleeding]

basically jon is a spiritual successor to benedick muchadoaboutnothing. same brand of guy.

#here let me rail against this thing i care about ppl seeing me be sceptical of. OOPS #also. i do love nothing in the world so well as you is not that strange

[macbooth]

a non-conclusive list of shakespeare characters with trans swag:

(not including the obvious: viola, rosalind, puck, ariel, etc.)

Moth LovesLaboursLost - his name is Moth. that’s a nonbinary name. also i’m currently playing Moth in a production so I’m allowed to decide this

Feste TwelfthNight - once again has nonbinary swag but evil this time

Emilia Othello - tgirl swag. i dont know how else to explain it

Octavius AntonyandCleopatra - i cant really explain this one but tboy swag. you get it. 

Cassandra TroilusandCressida - she would love hyperpop if she was around nowadays

Aaron and Tamora TitusAndronicus - okay hear me out. hear me out. t4t couple but evil. 

Benedick and Beatrice MuchAdoAboutNothing - t4t couple not evil just silly :3

feel free to add on because this is all im currently thinking about

#shakespeare #shakespeare memes #love's labour's lost #twelfth night #othello #Antony and Cleopatra #troilus and cressida #titus andronicus #much ado about nothing