Melbourne Theatre Company’s Much Ado About Nothing is a an effervescent, razor-sharp, and visually sumptuous production that reminds you exactly why this play remains one of Shakespeare’s most irresistible romantic comedy.
Under the mischievously astute direction of Mark Wilson, the production crackles with wit and intelligence, delivering both the fizzy delights and darker undercurrents of Messina with enviable elegance.
At the centre of the whirlwind, Alison Bell and Fayssal Bazzi are magnetic as Beatrice and Benedick, their battle-of-wits chemistry so electric it seems to charge the entire theatre.
Bell’s Beatrice is emotionally agile and fiercely modern without ever feeling imposed on the text, while Bazzi – making an outstanding MTC debut – gives Benedick a vulnerability and comic timing that make his every protestation of bachelorhood a delight. Together, they turn banter into foreplay and heartbreak into revelation.
Remy Heremaia, pulling double duty as Claudio and Conrade, brings emotional clarity and surprising complexity to a role often overshadowed by the central lovers. Miela Anich is an arresting Hero (and deliciously sly Borachio), imbuing the character’s quiet dignity with a steeliness that resonates in the production’s exploration of reputation and gendered scrutiny.
Chanella Macri’s turn as Margaret and the Bastard (Don John) is a standout—shapeshifting between comic spark and velvety menace with hypnotic ease. Syd Brisbane provides a warm, grounded Leonato, and John Shearman’s Don Pedro is played with charismatic refinement, his authority tinged with melancholy.
And then there is Julie Forsyth, who steals just about every scene she touches. As Ursula and Dogberry, and not forgetting the tired Friar, she is riotously sly and gleefully unpredictable – an absolute comic treasure whose presence elevates every scene around her.
Visually, the production is stunning. Anna Cordingley’s dual-level set is both sumptuous and slyly metaphorical – its layered architecture echoing the social tiers, duplicities, and public-private fractures that drive the drama. It’s a playground for overhearing, misdirection, and voyeurism, and Wilson makes thrilling use of it.
Karine Larché’s costumes blend contemporary sharpness with classical silhouettes, crafting a world that feels both timeless and acutely of this moment. Katie Sfetkidis’ lighting carves emotional terrain with painterly sensitivity, while Joe Paradise Lui’s sound and compositions thread the production together with texture and propulsion – sometimes tender, sometimes chaotic, always alive.
Much Ado About Nothing is a production that is as deliciously fun as it is thoughtful – leaning into the flirtatious joy of Shakespeare’s comedy while refusing to ignore its darker shadows. A terrific finale to MTC’s theatrical year!
Much Ado About Nothing
Southbank Theatre, The Sumner, 140 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank
Performance: Wednesday 19 November 2025
Season continues to 19 December 2025
Information and Bookings: www.mtc.com.au
Images: John Shearman, Remy Heremaia, Fayssal Bazzi, Syd Brisbane, Julie Forsyth, Alison Bell, Chanella Macri and Miela Anich – photo by Gregory Lorenzutti | Alison Bell and Fayssal Bazzi – photo by Gregory Lorenzutti
Review: Rohan Shearn