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BELL SHAKESPEARE TO DAZZLE AUDIENCES AT HOTA

Announcement posted by M10 Collective 14 Aug 2019

One of Australia’s greatest theatre companies, Bell Shakespeare, is kicking off the Queensland leg of their national tour of William Shakespeare’s greatest comedy – Much Ado About Nothing – at HOTA from September 4-5.
Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s most popular contemporary comedies, where romance is thwarted by dastardly plots, misinformation, false accusations, broken promises, and bumbling cops – or is it?
 
Bell Shakespeare’s Associate Director James Evans directs this saucy battle of wits between the bickering Beatrice and Benedick, who wield words as weapons, their banter betraying their love for each other.
 
Claudio and Hero are deeply in love; however, Claudio is quickly seduced by envy and this idyllic world threatens to come tumbling down as he humiliates Hero, causing Beatrice and Benedick to join forces and defend true love.
 
Starring Zindzi Okenyo (Antony and Cleopatra, MTC’s An Ideal Husband) as Beatrice, this adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing is a powerful exploration of the struggle for identity and self-knowledge in a male-dominated world.
 
Much Ado About Nothing is the original ‘from hate to love’ romantic comedy that we’ve seen repeated in films and plays since Shakespeare’s time. But beneath its sparkling wit and hilarious characters, there is a dark conflict that drives this play to the edge of tragedy,” said James Evans.
 
“The story flips from uproarious comedy to utter heartbreak in an instant, and then back again. That is the genius of Shakespeare, and why this play is one of my absolute favourites.”
 
Much Ado About Nothing has seen great success in its past, having lit up the silver screen in 1993 and 2013, rocking the stage in the 2016 Off-Broadway musical adaption These Paper Bullets!, and now Bell Shakespeare is touring this iconic play around Australia.
 
HOTA are delighted to be bringing Shakespeare’s greatest comedy from one of Australia’s greatest theatre makers to the Gold Coast.
 
“No one does ‘the Bard’ better than Bell Shakespeare. The ideas, language and imagery in this saucy, razor-sharp battle of wits truly showcases the beauty and complexity of his work,” said HOTA CEO, Criena Gehrke.
 
Much Ado About Nothing will take place at HOTA on Wednesday 4th September at 6.30pm and Thursday 5th September at 10.30am & 7.30pm.
 
For more information, visit https://hota.com.au/theatre/much-ado-about-nothing/.
 
‘The Sydney based company have been dazzling audiences around Australia for the past 27 years.’ - Artshub
 
‘Bell Shakespeare – arguably the best Shakespearean theatre company.’ - Herald Sun
 
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Christie Bemportato – M10 Collective
M: 0433 977 011 |E:  christie@m10.com.a