Shakespeare in the Garden – it’s Much Ado About Nothing!

Pack a picnic and join us here in the garden at Mapperton to enjoy the open-air experience of one of Shakespeare’s greatest and most timeless comedies.

Much Ado About Nothing, will be performed on Saturday and Sunday, 16 and 17 July.

Touring from the University of Durham, the Castle Theatre Company presents the tale of two pairs of feuding lovers, complete with gossip, deception and the never-ending search for love.

After declaring their love for each other, Hero and Claudio pass the time by attempting to convince the stubborn Beatrice and outspoken Benedick to fall for each other.

But, after the villainous Don John’s slanders about Hero’s fidelity, Beatrice and Benedict are forced to reconcile to fix the situation.

After Don John’s deception has been exposed, along with all the unfounded accusations, the whole farce turns out to be “much ado about nothing!’

For more than 30 years, Castle Theatre Company has been running its annual summer Shakespeare tour around the south of England.

Returning to the stunning setting at Mapperton, this year’s Shakespeare in the Garden performance of classic Shakespeare comedy promises an afternoon or an evening of light-hearted family entertainment.

Performance times are on Saturday 16 July at 6.30pm and Sunday 17 July at 2.30pm. Picnic from 5pm on the Saturday and from 12.30pm on the Sunday.

Tickets are £15 for adults; £12 for concessions (senior citizens and under-18s), obtainable from the Beaminter Festival Box Office 01308 862943, boxoffice@beaminsterfestival.com until 2 July and then from the Mapperton Estate office on 01308 862645, or on the gate.