Much Ado About Nothing: romance, betrayal, laughs - do you need more?

Well, lucky for you, with this production from Sheffield Theatres and Ramps on the Moons, there is - this is Shakespeare like you’ve never seen it before!

This innovative production of one of Shakespeare’s best loved comedies features the use of integrated creative sign language, audio description and captioning within every performance. This is the culmination of the pioneering initiative Ramps On The Moon, which is committed to putting deaf and disabled artists at the centre of their work.

One of my favourite elements of this production is the opening to the first act which has been wonderfully reimagined - and immediately establishes access at the centre of the performance. After gathering on stage, the actors burst out to introduce themselves to the audience utilising BSL, audio description and captioning to describe the set and their costumes with wit and personality. 

The detail is meticulous - for example, characters who sign wear bracelets which jingle, which enable visually impaired audience members to identify them when someone else verbally interprets. It is genuinely such a gorgeous sight to watch and sets the play off on a high!

But you don’t just have to take my word for it, there’s a five star review from the Guardian that agrees with me.

So who am I?

Hi - I’m Abbi, the audience engagement ambassador for this incredible production of Much Ado about Nothing, which is touring until Sat 12 November. 

I’ve been working with all the lovely venues to reach out to their communities about this production - explaining the ways in which access has been integrated without undermining the quality of the play.

It really is a great job, and I have been thoroughly enjoying the conversations which have come out of the outreach I’ve done - with people being excited that Shakespeare is being reimagined and utilising talented actors within the industry to enhance this story.

This really is a very special production, that demands vulnerability from the cast beyond the ‘norm’ - but it serves to show that accessibility can be done cleverly and, when it is, there is an audience ready and willing to engage with it!

Click here for further information on the show and tour dates 

This post is part of a paid partnership with Sheffield Theatres.

Photo credits:

Guy Rhys (Benedick) and Daneka Etchells (Beatrice) in Much Ado About Nothing. Photo by Johan Persson.

Richard Peralta and the Company of Much Ado About Nothing. Photo by Johan Persson. 

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