Launched in 2021, The East London Shakespeare Festival (ELSF) blends the Bard’s traditional tales with contemporary culture, performing in parks and community spaces across East London. Following their 2023 Offie nominated Romeo and Juliet, they’re back this year with Much Ado About Nothing. It’s a risky game inviting us to review outdoor Shakespeare (given the comedy of errors that occurred the last time) but we lucked out on Saturday, as we headed to Springfield Park for some Shakespeare in the sun.
Much Ado About Nothing has a bit of everything that you might expect from a Shakespeare comedy, from masked balls and mistaken identity to a love story that ends up in someone faking their own death (without the tragic ending of Romeo and Juliet). It’s the sort of beautifully chaotic plot that lends itself well to ELSF’s inimitable style, with lots of scope for ridiculous audience interaction and madcap musical interludes (featuring classic tunes including The Time of My Life and Rapper’s Delight).
It’s extremely funny, making Shakespeare accessible to modern audiences while remaining true to the original text. The entire cast are fantastic but we especially enjoyed the comedy pairing of Ursula Early (Co-Artistic Director of ELSF) as the stubbornly single Beatrice and Kieran Garland as her love (dis)interest Benedick. Londiwe Mthembu also demonstrates brilliant versatility in a combination of comedic and more serious roles.
The visual spectacle and unpretentious atmosphere make it suitable for the entire family, even young children who may not fully follow the plot. They can even sign up for mask making workshops ahead of the performance, allowing them to fully participate in the masked ball. Audiences are also encouraged to bring along a picnic, to get into the spirit of a summer in Sicily.
Overall, Much Ado About Nothing is a spectacularly silly Shakespeare adaptation, offering something for audiences of all ages. There are just a few more chances to catch it this, so grab a picnic blanket and head to East London for some fun in the sun with a Shakespearean twist.
Much Ado About Nothing played at Springfield Park, E5 on 27-28 July as part of a wider tour. We received complimentary press tickets to the matinee on 27 July.