Director Jamie Lloyd (Sunset Boulevard, Betrayal) teams up with Tom Hiddleston (Tony and Olivier winner) and Hayley Atwell (Olivier nominee), two of the finest actors of their generation, to portray the reluctant lovers. But how does this new Much Ado About Nothing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane hold up?

Much Ado About Nothing Critic Reviews

"Lloyd himself seems like the god of mischief in constructing this party of pink silliness. You would have to be a god of stone to not be seduced by its wacky winter joy. A wonderfully giddy thing indeed, and that is my conclusion." - The Guardian

"But far from seeming cheerless, and dj vu, the approach proves a fresh, unbounded joy. Freeing the action from studious naturalism, and social context, it's a teasing provocation, with loud klaxon honks jolting us too. The boldest stroke (design: Soutra Gilmour) is a sustained shower of pink confetti. It's faintly magical to behold; on another level, it chimes with the play's tragicomic mix of autumnal wistfulness and amorous adventure." - The Telegraph

"Blissfully, the cameras and mike stands have gone. The chairs, though, have been unleashed to live their best lives in the numerous giddy song and dance scenes that punctuate this frothy confection of courtly shenanigans. As did every soul in the theatre, who audibly had a blast throughout and thundered to their feet for the jubilant ovation/curtain call boogie." - The Express

"And truly it is very funny, it looks incredible, and if Lloyd has festooned it in millennial silliness then I guess what's actually more significant is the way he, Hiddleston and Atwell have teased the Beatrice-Benedick romance into a poignant story about middle-aged loneliness and being left behind as your friends settle" - Time Out

"Atwell is simply magnificent, a beady tigress with quicksilver intelligence and manicured gold claws. At first I feared her glittery-jumpsuited Beatrice would be too venomous, her lines dripping with naked contempt. But she settles quickly and luxuriantly into the language and the physical abandon of the dancing. I've never heard Beatrice's waspish banter better delivered it makes you wish Atwell did more comedy nor felt her rage so powerfully." - The Standard

"Diamond-sharp banter and an endorphin fizz make this one of the best parties in town." - The Arts Desk

"Gradually, however, the magnificence of Atwell and Hiddleston means that any lingering doubts melt away. They are both highly adept at playing to the audience, drawing spectators into a sense of complicity, which is no mean feat in this grandiose 2,000-seat theatre. Atwell beautifully suggests a heart heavy with hurt and loneliness under Beatrice's witty and worldly demeanour, whereas Hiddleston is such a warm, open and intelligent performer that we cannot help but root for Benedick to stop mucking about and to declare his love properly." - The I Paper

"Jamie Lloyd's Much Ado About Nothing is a daring and inventive production that showcases Shakespeare through a modern lens. It won't be for everyone; it's desire to be a party piece leaves some aspects under explored and diminishes the emotional impact of others. Still, it remains an exhilarating theatrical experience anchored by stellar performances from its leads and ensemble." - Theatre Weekly

"Bright, bold and boisterous Shakespearean comedy from Jamie Lloyd, with tender performances from Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston." - The Stage