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Audition Notice for

Much Ado About Nothing

Audition Notice for Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s most beloved romantic comedies. This production will be set in the 1940s with costumes and music from the period. Below is an overview of the characters for the auditions.

If you have any questions or can’t make the audition date please contact Simon.meeson@blods.co.uk

Characters:

Benedick:  male (playing age 30s-40s)

An aristocratic soldier who has recently been fighting under Don Pedro, and a friend of Don Pedro and Claudio. Benedick is very witty, always making jokes and puns. He carries on a “merry war” of wits with Beatrice, but at the beginning of the play he swears he will never fall in love or marry.

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Leonato: male (playing age 50+)

A respected, well-to-do, noble at whose home, in Messina, Italy, the action is set. Leonato is the father of Hero and the uncle of Beatrice. As governor of Messina, he is second in social power only to Don Pedro. He is involved in the plot for Beatrice and Benedick to fall in love.

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Hero: female  (playing age 20s 30s)

The daughter of Leonato and the cousin of Beatrice. Hero is lovely, gentle, and kind. She falls in love with Claudio when he falls for her, but when Don John slanders her and Claudio rashly takes revenge, she suffers terribly.

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Claudio: male (playing age 20s 30s)

A young soldier who has won great acclaim fighting under Don Pedro during the recent wars. Claudio falls in love with Hero upon his return to Messina. His unfortunately suspicious nature makes him quick to believe evil rumors and hasty to despair and take revenge.

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Antonia/Watchman: female (playing age 50+)

She is Leonato’s sister and Hero and Beatrice’s Aunt. She also has been amalgamated with the character of Ursula from the original text. This character will also play a watchman in the Night’s Watch and is central to overcovering the plot to frame Hero.

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Don Pedro: male  (Playing age 35+)

An important nobleman from Aragon,  referred to as “Prince.” Don Pedro is a longtime friend of Leonato, Hero’s father, and is also close to the soldiers who have been fighting under him Benedick and  Claudio. Don Pedro is generous, courteous, intelligent, and loving to his friends, but he is also quick to believe evil of others and hasty to take revenge. He is the most politically and socially powerful character in the play.

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Don Jon: male  (Playing age 30+)

The illegitimate brother of Don Pedro; sometimes called “the Bastard.” Don John is melancholy and sullen by nature, and he creates a dark scheme to ruin the happiness of Hero and Claudio. He is the villain of the play; his evil actions are motivated by his envy of his brother’s social authority.

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Borachio/ Friar Francis:  male (play age 30-55)

An associate of Don John. Borachio is the lover of Margaret, Hero’s serving woman. He conspires with Don John to trick Claudio and Don Pedro into thinking that Hero is unfaithful to Claudio.

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Margaret/Verges: female  (playing age 20-45)

Hero’s serving woman, who unwittingly helps Borachio and Don John deceive Claudio into thinking that Hero is unfaithful.  Though she is honest, she does have some dealings with the villainous world of Don John: her lover is the mistrustful and easily bribed Borachio. Margaret loves to break decorum, especially with bawdy jokes and teases. Verges is the deputy to Dogberry, chief policeman of Messina.

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Dogberry/ Messenger : male  (playing age any)

The constable in charge of the Watch, or chief policeman, of Messina. Dogberry is very sincere and takes his job seriously, but he has a habit of using exactly the wrong word to convey his meaning. Dogberry is one of the few “middling sort,” or middle-class characters, in the play, though his desire to speak formally and elaborately like the noblemen becomes an occasion for parody.

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Beatrice: This character is not available for audition and will be played by the director.