The opening night for the performance “Much Ado About Nothing” written by W. Shakespeare took place on the stage of Saratov Academic Kiselev Youth theatre in April 2008. The director – RF People’s Actor Grigory Tsinman, the production designer – Michail Gavryushov, the costume designer – Nikolay Gorobets. The translation and stage adaptation – Ekaterina Rakitina.

William Shakespeare is recognized as one of the greatest writers of all time. Through many years Saratov Kiselev’s theatre continually addressed to his mighty plays, among them “Two Gentlemen of Verona”, “Romeo and Juliette”, “Hamlet, As You Like It” and “King Lear”.

“Much Ado About Nothing” (1598) used to be one of the most popular Shakespeare’s comedies during his lifetime and continues to be now. The whole play is based on the idea of the trick of senses, illusion of what is seen. The play is enhanced with bright and lively characters, high-stakes drama together with a cheerful frame and a great lot of comical episodes. Shakespeare creates a whole cavalcade of laughable situations, confusions and mistakes. Topical and burning quibbles and jokes make “Much Ado About Nothing” even more witty and amusing. Two stories, developed in the comedy, seem to have nothing in common. A dark drama of jealousy and betray on one hand; and a humorous wrangle of two high society wits. But if only one gives thought to the mutual intercourse of these two stories it becomes clearly seen that they are combined on purpose. They are essential to each other. Alongside to enhancing each other they contribute to the development of the play. In this case Shakespeare as usual managed to couple the requirements of drama unity with the richness and diversity of the play. He gives no answers but confronts with questions that make one listen to the bustle of life in a new way and suddenly see that trifles and fortuities form it on the whole and how significant they consequently are. He makes us see the mobility and flexibility of life that easily transforms from catastrophe to enjoyment, tragedy to comedy and vain rush to melodious tone of reality. “Man is an inconceivable being. That’s what I came to realize”, - says Benedict at the end of the play, after having passed the way appointed him by destiny and Shakespeare. The director and actors also aimed to walk this pathway together with Benedict and other characters. Not editing the play to our days, Saratov Kiselev’s theatre offers spectators Shakespeare’s comedy with what is the most important in any of Shakespeare’s texts - its original liveliness, uncertainties and space for brainwork.
Actors:

Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon, a military commander who brings his troops to Messina. He woos Hero for Claudio and later plots to bring Benedick and Beatrice together	Fedorov Alexander Dmitrievich
Benedick of Padua, a lord and companion of Don Pedro	Chernyshev Alexey Nickolaevich
Claudio of Florence, a lord and companion of Don Pedro; Conrad a follower of Don John	Divlyatshin Ruslan Sergeevich Krivega Alexey Vladimirovich
Baltazar attendant on Don Pedro and also a singer; Watchmen	Skachkov Dmitry Valentinovich
Don John the bastard brother of Don Pedro. He plots against Claudio, first making Claudio think that Don Pedro is wooing Hero for himself, and later making Claudio believe that Hero has committed infidelity	Kuzin Artem Evgenievich
Borachio a follower of Don John	Egorov Vladimir Vladimirovich
Leonato Governor of Messina.	Volodarskiy Ilya Borisovich
Hero the daughter of Leonato	Protasova Irina Vladimirovna Nikulina Svetlana Igorevna
Beatrice an orphan, the niece of Leonato	Rotachkov Alexey Gennadievich
Antonio the brother of Leonato, an old man; Watchmen guards who roam the city of Messina keeping order and peace	Ridel Yuly Petrovich
A Boy serving Benedick	Shanina Victoriya Victorovna
Margaret a waiting-gentlewoman who attends to Hero	Klimova Marina Gennadievna Beskrovnaya Anastasiya Sergeevna
Ursula a waiting-gentlewoman who attends to Hero. She and Hero make up a story about how Benedick loves Beatrice in the garden where Beatrice can overhear them; Watchmen guards who roam the city of Messina keeping order and peace	Karabanov Alexey Nikolayevich
Friar Francis the man meant to marry Hero and Claudio