Much Ado About Nothing
April 17, 2020 Youtube
One of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies, Much Ado About Nothing is a play about love, wit, and trickery; however, most of all, it is a play about observation and gossip. Lord Denney's Players' sixth production uses surveillance to demonstrate how the people of Messina both eavesdrop upon and wittily perform for one another. Yet despite the constant observation of their surveillance state, Much Ado's characters regularly search for tenderness, finding human connection amidst a society that values voyeurism over intimacy.
Lord Denney's Players' production of Much Ado About Nothing was originally scheduled to run March 26-29, 2020 in the Ohio Union, but the state's "stay-at-home" order prevented the live show from occurring. Fortunately, ASCTech and LDP's signature innovation saved the day: Much Ado's surveillance culture readily translated to a film built using the same social meeting software that has enabled OSU to move its educational mission entirely online.
Lord Denney’s Players sixth production, William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, premiered Friday, April 17 at 8 p.m. on the Department of English's YouTube channel. This is the first LDP production to be directed by an English major as a senior thesis and the first virtual premiere. After the show, viewers were invited to a Zoom talkback with the cast and crew of Much Ado.
The Much Ado About Nothing production was a unique experience that truly exemplified the old saying “The show must go on!” The freedom to explore different interpretations of this fantastic comedy was a real treasure and a skill
which I’ve found incredibly useful in my English studies. The collaborative structure of LDP has given me confidence and pride in my own creative and academic projects, and the troupe’s unique openness and welcoming of ideas from all members of the production were crucial components in creating a successful and distinctive show.
- Devon Mushalko