British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Much Ado About Nothing

Alternative title
The Shakespeare Plays
Synopsis
Television production of the play directed by Stuart Burge, with Robert Lindsay as Benedick) and Cherie Lunghi as Beatrice.
Series
BBC Television Shakespeare
Language
English
Country
Great Britain; United States
Medium
Television
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Recording date
15 Aug 1984
Transmission details
30 Nov 1984 at 21:00 (Channel: BBC2)
Duration
150 mins

Credits

Director
Stuart Burge
Producer
Shaun Sutton
Writer
William Shakespeare
Music
Simon Rogers
Costume
June Hudson
Art Direction
Jan Spoczynski
Cast
Cherie LunghiBeatrice
Robert LindsayBenedick
Robert ReynoldsClaudio
Jon FinchDon Pedro
Michael ElphickDogberry
Ben LoshBoy serving Benedick
Clive DunnVerges
Clive DunnVerges
Gorden KayeWatchman (1)
Gordon WhitingAntonio
Graham CrowdenFriar Francis
Ishia BennisonUrsula
John KiddSexton
Katharine LevyHero
Lee MontagueLeonato
Oz ClarkeBalthasar
Pamela MoiseiwitschMargaret
Perry BensonWatchman (2)
Robert GwilymConrade
Tim FaulknerMessenger
Tony RohrBorachio
Vernon DobtcheffDon John

Additional Details

Production type
Television and Radio Drama
Historical period
Elizabethan
Plays
Macbeth; Much Ado About Nothing
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Related items
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing

Notes

Notes
The production is commercially available on DVD as part of the BBC TV SHAKESPEARE COLLECTION box set (see separate entry).
History
This production is part of the seventh season (producer: Shaun Sutton). Recording took a week. Broadcast on PBS 30 November 1984.
Textual information
Between 1978 and 1986 the BBC published individual scripts of the series. Each volume of The BBC TV Shakespeare, ed. Peter Alexander et al. (London: British Broadcasting Corporation) contains the full text of the play (the Peter Alexander edition) with accompanying notes on the scene breaks and cuts made in the production, as well as a glossary. A general introduction to the play by series literary advisor John Wilders is followed by an essay on the production of the play by Henry Fenwick. This is based on interviews with actors, directors, and designers.
Reviews
Susan Willis, The BBC Shakespeare Plays: Making the Televised Canon (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1991).

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Name

Time-Life Films Inc

Phone
0101 201 843 4545
Address
PO Box 644
NJ 07652
USA

Distributor

Name

Simply Media

Contact
Laura Smith
Email
info@simplymedia.tv
Web
http://www.simplymedia.tv/ External site opens in new window
Phone
0203 542 3722
Address
Highlight House
57 Margaret Street
London W1W 8SJ
Notes
Formerly known as DD Home Entertainment or DDHE

Distributor (Sale)

Name

Trumedia Ltd

Contact
Bill Cotton
Email
sales@trumedia.co.uk
Web
https://trumedia.co.uk/ External site opens in new window
Phone
01865 847837
Fax
01865 847837
Address
9 Meadow View
Kidlington
Kidlington
OX5 2XY
Notes
Trumedia supplies video tapes and DVDs to UK schools, colleges and universities and is geared up to take official orders from educational institutions. The catalogue highlights programmes likely to be of use in the curriculum, but the company can supply any video in current UK distribution, as well as some deleted titles. Particularly strong in the areas of English literature and drama, as well as history, natural history, art & artists, and foreign language films.

Online Retailer

Name

ChoicesUK

Notes
ChoicesUK went into administration in March 2012 and is no longer trading.
Name

Moviemail

Web
https://www.simplyhe.com/3000-moviemail External site opens in new window
Phone
0844 848 2000
Address
Simply Home Entertainment
PO Box 7741
Ringwood
BH24 9FA
UK
Notes
As of December 2016 the Moviemail web presence is incorporated within the Simply Media website

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