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Jamie Lloyd’s Shakespeare productions haven’t always worked – the presence of Sigourney Weaver failed to whistle up a storm in his Tempest.
But here he masterfully lands on the right side of camp-joyous fun, helped in large part by the surprisingly perfect casting of Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell as the world’s first great rom-com couple, Beatrice and Benedick.
They squeeze every ounce of longing, wit and humour from a sharply edited script (thankfully Dogberry fell to the cutting room floor).
Liberal use of 90s dancefloor classics and no-holds-barred dance sequences helps create a party atmosphere, turned up to 11 with the help of disco lighting, costumes and dancing ushers in the intermission.
When the rumours and accusations spread in the second half, it feels like a house party crashing to a halt.
Much Ado is about nothing but love and, as Benedick concludes, man is but a giddy thing.
Jamie Lloyd’s Shakespeare productions haven’t always worked – the presence of Sigourney Weaver failed to whistle up a storm in his Tempest=.
This article was amended after publication.
