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Much Ado About Nothing (Wordsworth Classics) [Paperback]

William Shakespeare (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (124 customer reviews)
Price: £1.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
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Book Description

Publication Date: 1 Jun 1995 | ISBN-10: 1853262544 | ISBN-13: 978-1853262548 | Edition: New Ed

This Wordsworth Edition has been Edited, introduced and annotated by Cedric Watts, Research Professor of English, University of Sussex.

The Wordsworth Classics' Shakespeare Series presents a newly-edited sequence of William Shakespeare's works. The textual editing takes account of recent scholarship while giving the material a careful reappraisal.

Much Ado About Nothing has long been celebrated as one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies. The central relationship, between Benedick and Beatrice, is wittily combative until love prevails. Broader comedy is provided by Dogberry, Verges and the watchmen. The drama ranges between the destructively sinister and the lyrically romantic, giving the whole a complex and sometimes problematic character. Numerous revivals, in the theatre and on screen, have displayed the lively variety and interpretative openness of this engaging comedy.

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Frequently Bought Together

Much Ado About Nothing (Wordsworth Classics) + "Much Ado About Nothing": (Advanced) (York Notes Advanced) + Much Ado About Nothing [DVD] [1993]
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Product details

  • Paperback: 144 pages
  • Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd; New Ed edition (1 Jun 1995)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1853262544
  • ISBN-13: 978-1853262548
  • Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 0.7 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (124 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 15,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Authors

Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Roma Gill
A. R. Humphreys
Peter Holland
Barbara A. Mowat
William Shakespeare
Paul Werstine
R. A. Foakes
David M. Bevington
Louva Elizabeth Irvine
A. L. Rowse

Product Description

Amazon Review

Like Love's Labour's Lost, Much Ado about Nothing shows Shakespeare moving into a more complex and darker terrain through his exploration of an apparently harmless comical romance. The play revolves around the adventures of the two gallants Claudio and Benedick at the court of Sicily. Claudio falls in love with the governor's daughter Hero, and is eager for his more misanthropic friend Benedick to also find love. Benedick is introduced to the fiery, independent Beatrice, and sparks soon fly as they banter with each other in a more wittier version of Kate and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew. Beatrice has some wonderful ripostes to marriage asking why should a woman marry "a clod of wayward marl", whilst Benedick grumbles that "She speaks poniards and every word stabs". Meanwhile, the jealous Don John convinces Claudio that Hero has in fact been unfaithful to him. When Claudio rejects Hero on their wedding day, she faints and is taken for dead. In the hectic final scenes the play moves towards reconciliation between Claudio and Hero, and the tentative admission of the love between Benedick and Beatrice. Famously filmed by Kenneth Branagh in the Tuscan countryside with a cast that included Keanu Reeves, Much Ado about Nothing remains one of Shakespeare's most successful comedies. --Jerry Brotton.

Review

'Cambridge has come up with an excellent new series, Shakespeare in Production, which is going to be invaluable to anybody studying, acting, or producing his plays.' Plays and Players Applause Magazine

'Shakespeare in Production … is … ideally suited to people like me: people as interested in the stage history of a Shakespearean play as in its text. What distinguishes these editions, and makes them of particular interest to drama and theatre departments, is their unique concentration on theatrical production.' Studies in Theatre Production

'I cannot recommend too highly the whole series (a bargain at £16.99 for each play) to all theatre lovers, theatregoers, theatre practitioners, and anybody who enjoys Shakespeare.' Robert Tanitch, What's on in London

' ... interesting things to say on structure ...' Plays International --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars ..so should I buy it? 6 Oct 2009
By Old Flozer
Format:DVD
There are plenty of detailed critiques of the performances and production on here which I won't attempt to emulate; this review is rather for the casual browser who is hovering around the 'add to basket' button. So - Yes! I bought this at a price pretty much equivalent to rental - and I would heartily recommend it as great value and good entertainment. It has its weaknesses - the DVD transfer is not particularly high quality (I'd like to see a fully restored, Blu-Ray version) and has no supplementary material. Of the performances, only Keanu Reeeves' is really dubious - he brings to the part of John the Bastard an impressive physique and little else. There's also some of that rather cloying best buddies quality that accompanies Branagh's core troupe. However, overall it trips along with a light touch and is very entertaining - genuinely so on the strength of the play, not just for the interest of the interpretation. The cinematography and scenery are superb (though again, some colour restoration would have helped, and some of the cast had gone very pink in the Italian sun!). I enjoyed Keaton's perfomance as Dogberry, though I struggled to hear everything he said, and it did remind me of Beetlejuice. I'd forgotten how luminously beautiful and engaging the young Kate Beckinsale was before she became Hollywood Barbie (sigh..), and was very impressed by the naturalness of Denzel Washington's delivery, as Branagh's integration of US actors sometimes jars.

You don't have to be a Shakespeare fanatic to enjoy this, but there is equally plenty there to satisfy the enthusiast. Hit that button!
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49 of 52 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Superb Film - Rotten DVD 22 July 2008
By M. Lindsell
Format:DVD
The Kenneth Branagh/Emma Thompson version of 'Much Ado About Nothing' is one of the happiest and most charming films I have ever seen (despite the tense bit in the middle and the tedious nature of the bard's original story).
This DVD is let down -so- badly by the rough and ready transfer, which has the following problems:
1) This is 1.4ish:1 and not widescreen as it says on the packaging (the original film -was- widescreen)
2) The colour in the original film was wonderful - alas not the DVD, where unsightly colour aliasing and contours are evident
3) There isn't even a decent Scene Selection capability, just a small number of whole 'acts', so it is very hard to find your place if you don't see it all the way through
4) No Extras whatever, despite the fact that there was a lovely 'making of' featurette made (I watched it on TV).

Please, please, please could we have a widescreen anamorphic reissue (Region 2) with all of the above corrected?

I for one would pay full price.
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45 of 48 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars 'Converting all your sounds of woe...oh..into hey...nonny...NONNY!' 5 Nov 2006
By Mr. A. E. Hall
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Kenneth Branagh's adaption of Much Ado About Nothing is a sheer delight to watch. I first saw it six years ago to prepare for a performance of it at school. The whole class fell in love with the film and while it may fall behind Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet in pure greatness, it soars ahead in sheer fun and exuberance.

As with Hamlet from 3 years later, the set is moved forward a few hundred years which just gives a fresh and vibrant touch to the film. Branagh himself plays Benedick and the chemistry between him and his (then) wife Emma Thompson as Beatrice makes you wonder why they could ever have split up. It is the war of words between these two that provide some of the main highlights of the film, especially their initial exchange:

Benedick: 'God keep your lady in that so some man may 'scape a pre-destinate scratched face'.

Beatrice: 'Scratching could not make it worse onto such a face as yours'.

Benedick: 'Well you are a rare parrot teacher'.

Beatrice: 'A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of your tongue'

Benedick: 'I wish my horse had the speed of your tongue'.

Branagh is also not afraid to throw in American actors and their effect ranges from the fish in water (Denzel Washington's Don Pedro), to the aquittable Keanu Reeves to the outstanding thespian but altogether too Yankee Robert Sean Leonard. However the real American star of the film is Michael Keaten with his sidekick Ben Elton who give a Monty Pythonesque twist to Dogsberry and Verges.

Branagh directs the film with style and his choice of music is outstanding. The all-star cast deliver as expected and it all adds up to one of my alltime favourite films.

One little criticism is the actual DVD itself. There are no extras whatsoever; it would have been nice to hear Branagh's views on the film. And although the scene selection by 'act' is quaint, it is annoying trying to find one particular scene.

Do not let that disuade you though, watching this film on a flip book while listening to it on tape would be enough. It is a beautifully written and performed play.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars classic
I really love this play, it is so uplifting and humorous. In Kenneth Branaghs version, Emma Thompson steals the show as the lead and the cast are all superb. Read more
Published 12 hours ago by Kitty
5.0 out of 5 stars Great edition
This is a great copy if the text. I am a teacher and had not taught this play before and it's great for student and teacher alike. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Ett35
5.0 out of 5 stars Did its thing
I needed this for my English assessment. Did the thing, nothing special and nothing bad so why not a 5 star.
Published 23 days ago by Ron
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing quality
The sound and picture quality from this blueray transfer l think is brilliant and truley
gives the movie its rightful splendour which shows off the brilliant production... Read more
Published 25 days ago by michael phillips
5.0 out of 5 stars Much ado about nothing.
I haven't had any problems with DVDs I have bought and this was no different. It was a most satisfactory deal.
Published 1 month ago by Fred Chaucer
4.0 out of 5 stars Much Ado About Nothing
As with many old plays, this one needs the audience to get past a very outdated view of women. This production is an up-beat, often hillarious, sometimes sad interpretation.
Published 1 month ago by Sonja van den Ende
5.0 out of 5 stars Much Ado about Nothing
I bought this DVD for myself to replace my video version of the film. I really enjoy watching this version as it is easy to understand and being shot in Italy has a lovely feeling... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jill Hardcastle
4.0 out of 5 stars Much ADO
Great for anyone studying Shakespeare but also for anyone who wants to watch a decent film which is well acted and directed by Kenneth Branagh. It's suitable for all ages.
Published 1 month ago by Claire
5.0 out of 5 stars Great film
Needed this for my english gcse so was really helpful. Really enjoyed it and makes it a lot easier to revise!
Published 1 month ago by Thanks
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous
Wonderful interpretation of a simple but classic story. The dialogue comes alive in the hands of these masters and the setting is glorious
Published 2 months ago by Roy
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