Much Ado About Nothing (play)

Leonato, the ruler of sunny Messina in Sicily, warmly opens the doors of his home to Don Pedro—the Prince of Aragon—who arrives in the city with his retinue after a brilliant victory in war. In response to the generous hospitality, the prince thanks the host and introduces him to two of his closest comrades, brave officers: the young noble Florentine Claudio and Signor Benedick from Padua.

Dreamy Claudio is captivated by the beauty of Hero, Leonato’s daughter, at first sight, and the prince sets out to help his friend. At night, during a masquerade, he, on Claudio’s behalf, makes his declaration of feelings to the girl and agrees with her father on an imminent wedding.

A lifelong bachelor, Benedick—both a prankster and a witty man—can only marvel: how could a friend dare, in his view, such a ridiculous notion as marriage, and he endlessly argues with the cutting Beatrice, Leonato’s niece—unaware that soon he himself will find himself in a similar predicament.

Meanwhile, Don Juan—the illegitimate brother of Don Pedro, grim and envious—convinced that it is “that brat” Claudio who is to blame for his failures, and learning of the planned celebration, plots to disrupt the wedding by sullying Hero with an accusation of unfaithfulness…