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Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing Tickets

The war is over, but the battle for love is just beginning.

From £6

About the show

Shakespeare’s sharpest, sunniest romantic comedy plays the open-air Globe Theatre this summer in a stylish contemporary staging directed by Chelsea Walker. The war is over, the soldiers are home, and the only battle left to fight is the one for love, waged with wit, wine and a great deal of glorious misunderstanding.

At the heart of it are Beatrice and Benedick, played by Pippa Nixon and Ken Nwosu, two quick-tongued cynics who have sworn off romance and would rather trade insults than tender words. Their friends, convinced the pair are secretly made for each other, set a delicious trap of overheard conversations and planted rumours. Alongside them, the young lovers Claudio and Hero are almost undone by a far crueller deception, before the bumbling constable Dogberry stumbles his way to the truth and the whole sunlit world tips back towards happiness.

Reimagined for a world of status, reputation and second chances, this Much Ado trades period costume for modern glamour while keeping every ounce of Shakespeare’s warmth and sting. Played out under the open sky at the Globe, with the crowd close enough to catch every raised eyebrow, it is a joyous, big-hearted summer night out that critics have hailed as the Globe at its very best.

Why it’s worth the watch

Much Ado About Nothing is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare and a treat for anyone who already loves him. Here is why this one stands out:

  • Beatrice and Benedick. Pippa Nixon and Ken Nwosu spar brilliantly as theatre’s most irresistible reluctant lovers.
  • Sun-soaked and stylish. Chelsea Walker’s modern staging is slick, funny and refreshingly current.
  • The magic of the open-air Globe. See it under the sky in a faithful reconstruction of Shakespeare’s own playhouse, with standing tickets from just £5.
  • A five-star summer hit. Critics have called it joyous, magical and the Globe at its very best.
  • Operating Since 2015

  • Official West End Tickets

  • Updated Daily

  • Secure Ticketing

Tickets

Choose your seats via our live booking platform. Once payment is completed, you will receive an email confirmation with your booking reference number and eTickets.

Good to know

Running time
2h 30m
Interval
one 20 minute interval
Age guidance
Under-16s must be accompanied by an adult
Arrival
30 min before performance

Booking

Tickets from
£6
Booking until
October 2026

Before you book

Cancellations
Full refunds for event cancellations
Need help?
Customer services +44 (0)20 3670 8887

Weekly schedule

Confirm dates on the booking page.

Tue
2:00pm7:30pm
Wed
7:30pm
Thu
2:00pm7:30pm
Fri
7:30pm
Sat
2:00pm7:30pm
Sun
1:00pm

What the critics say

London Theatre

"The Globe at its very best."

The Telegraph

"Joyous... magical."

The Standard

"Stylish... heaps of humour."

Photos

The company of Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe
Pippa Nixon and Ken Nwosu as Beatrice and Benedick
A scene from Much Ado About Nothing at the Globe
The sun-soaked staging of Much Ado About Nothing
Pippa Nixon as Beatrice
The company in performance at Shakespeare's Globe
The company of Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe
Pippa Nixon and Ken Nwosu as Beatrice and Benedick
A scene from Much Ado About Nothing at the Globe
The sun-soaked staging of Much Ado About Nothing
Pippa Nixon as Beatrice
The company in performance at Shakespeare's Globe

Cast

Pippa Nixon

Beatrice

Ken Nwosu

Benedick

Joshua John

Claudio

Assa Kanouté

Hero

Adam Long

Don Pedro

Joseph Potter

Don John

Jonathan McGuinness

Leonato

Richard Katz

Dogberry

Os Leanse

Verges

Marlowe Chan-Reeves

Borachio

Matilda Bailes

Margaret

Geraldine Alexander

Sister

Kaffe Keating

Seacoal / Messenger / Cover

Fia Hadeed

Ensemble / Cover

Zands Duggan

Musical Director / Percussion

Maddie Cutter

Cello

Zosia Jagodzinska

Cello

Richard Phillips

Cello

Charlie Laffer

Guitar

Creative team

William Shakespeare

Writer

Chelsea Walker

Director

Sami Fendall

Designer

Angus MacRae

Composer

Aline David

Movement Director

Kevin McCurdy

Fight Director

Lucy Fennell

Intimacy Director

Annemette Verspeak

Voice and Text

Charlotte Vickers

Assistant Director

Becky Paris CDG

Casting Director

Venue

Shakespeare's Globe

21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT

Get directions

Nearest stations

  • Blackfriars

    District, Circle, National Rail

    8 min walk
  • Mansion House

    District, Circle

    9 min walk
  • London Bridge

    Jubilee, Northern, National Rail

    12 min walk

Frequently asked questions

A company of soldiers returns from war to the sunlit house of Leonato, and love is suddenly the only battle left to fight. Young Claudio falls headlong for Leonato's daughter Hero, while the real fireworks come from Beatrice and Benedick, two sworn enemies of marriage whose friends scheme to trick them into admitting they adore each other. A cruel deception threatens to ruin everything, but this is a comedy, and wit, warmth and second chances win out.

Pippa Nixon and Ken Nwosu play the sparring lovers Beatrice and Benedick, leading a company that includes Richard Katz as the gloriously muddled constable Dogberry. It is directed by Chelsea Walker, who reimagines the play as a sharp, sun-soaked comedy about status, desire and reputation.

It is a fresh, contemporary reimagining rather than a doublet-and-hose period piece, set in a sun-soaked world of status and second chances. The language is Shakespeare's, but the styling is modern, and critics have called it stylish, slick and refreshingly current.

The Globe Theatre is a faithful reconstruction of Shakespeare's own open-air playhouse, with a circular timber design open to the sky. You can book a seat in the covered galleries or stand as a groundling in the yard right at the front of the stage. Performances go ahead in most weather, so bring a layer and, for the yard, come prepared to stand throughout.

Yes. The production contains scenes of sexual content and drug use. All under-16s must be accompanied by an adult and cannot be seated separately. For detailed content information you can contact the Globe's ticketing team before booking.

The Globe's famous standing tickets for the yard are among the best-value seats in London theatre, putting you right at the foot of the stage. They are limited and sell quickly for a hit summer comedy like this, so booking early here on WestEnd.com is the surest way to secure them.

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