The British Embassy in Harare is staging an outdoor theatre production of one of Shakespeare’s finest comedies, Much Ado About Nothing, as its contribution to marking 400 years since the Bard died.
Much Ado About Nothing has been performed on stage and film many times over the years and is a favourite with audiences.
“Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy about love. It is also about observation, disguise and deception”, explains the Director of the production, Adrian Ellis.
“The much that is done in the play is done in the name of love. But it is rarely done straightforwardly. Plots are hatched; devices are framed; masks are worn. The play’s comedy is found in those moments in which acts of pretending, often staged for the unwitting audience, lead to people stumbling into truth,” said Ellis.
The play which will be hosted at the British Ambassador’s residence will see a 1969 setting being used for this production.
According British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Catriona Laing this groovy twist adds to the general merriment and brings colour and vibrancy to the production.
It is beyond doubt that Harare audiences are in for a rare and never to be repeated treat.
She added that the Embassy in Harare is the only embassy across the world putting on a full Shakespeare production.
2016 is a hugely exciting year for British culture as it marks the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. The United Kingdom and British Embassies all over the world will be coming together to commemorate this significant event.
Shakespeare, often referred to as the Bard, is not just an iconic figure in Britain, but worldwide. His plays have been translated into 80 different languages and have been performed all over the world. The Bard’s legacy is easily confirmed by the fact that, even 400 years after his death, he remains one of the most popular playwrights and poets of all time.
William Shakespeare is also credited with helping to shape the English language as it is used today. He introduced hundreds of words and many well-known phrases.
The works of William Shakespeare are a core part of any education in English literature and are widely regarded to be as relevant today as when they were written; thanks to the Bard’s unique ability to capture the essence of the human condition.
His work covers the whole range of human emotions and experiences in a way which is captivating to audiences. In addition his works address issues such as corruption, tyranny and war which are as relevant today as they were when his plays were first staged.
The plays of Shakespeare have been translated into over 100 languages and are studied in more than half the world’s schools. Shakespeare is the world’s most googled author and his words continue to influence modern spoken and written English.
One of the best places to view one of Shakespeare’s plays has got to be at the Globe Theatre, home to Shakespeare’s original play company and over 400 years old.
