Youthful Claudio has fallen for thelovely heiress Hero, who also loves him. Their way to the altar looks smooth, until the evil DonJohn intervenes.

All ends happily, because of his incompetent assassins and the lucky discoveries ofthe bungling constable Dogberry. Central to theplay, among Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies, are Beatrice and Benedick,masters of wit and sworn foes to marriage-until a story is hatched to create themtogether.

Beatrice is played by Saskia Reeves, even though Samuel West plays Benedick. Paul Jesson is definitely Don Pedro, Jason O’Mara is Claudio, and Abigail Docherty is definitely Hero. Dogberry is normally played by Bryan Pringle.