Shakespeare Live: Much Ado About Nothing

‘When  I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married ….’

Monday 7 – Saturday 12 July

Convinced they hate and despise each other , Beatrice & Benedick, two of Shakespeare’s best-loved and most relatable characters, are determined not to give each other an inch, while the beautiful Hero and the handsome Claudio appear to make a perfect love match.

But in the run up to the English Civil War, as families split on religious and ideological grounds, and brother Princes on opposite sides return, barely speaking, from the Scottish rebellions, the time is ripe for mischief and betrayal.

A joyous mixture of love, comedy, plotting, revenge and bucolic English village life, with original music, gorgeous costumes and atmospheric sound and lighting, 2025’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ is directed by Gill Morrell for Shakespeare Live.

Tickets cost from £10 – £25 from shakespearelive.com for performances every evening from Monday 7 – Saturday 12 July, together with a Saturday matinee, in the beautiful gardens of Cleeve House, Seend, SN12 6PG.

Bring a picnic to enjoy on the lawn before the play, then take your numbered, tiered seat in the covered stand to watch the play, and relish the beauty of the setting  as the evening draws in and the lighting comes into full effect.