Much Ado / Hero’s Song

“A thoughtful and vibrant production by a team who are passionate about inclusivity” - Limping Chicken

UK premiere of Shakespeare’s sassiest comedy translated into modern English by Ranjit Bolt

Followed by a new response piece giving a voice to Shakespeare’s most marginalised character

Performed, livestreamed and recorded at Century Theatre, Coalville, Leicestershire, in May 2022

Livestream recordings

“Lively and celebratory” - LouReviews

Cast

DON PEDRO – Sam Beckett Jr

CLAUDIO / SEXTON – Jamie Brown

BENEDICK – Lewis Brown

DON JOHN / ANTONIO – Dylan Bull

LEONATA – Norma Dixit

BEATRICE – Emily Howlett

DOGBERRY / FRANCES / MESSENGER – Mica Loveridge

BORACHIO – Michael Muyunda

MARGARET / WATCH – Imelda D’souza

HERO / VERGES – Tamika Steadman

URSULA / WATCH – Sophie Whitebrook

Creative team

Hero’s Song co-creators – Coalville Women’s Group

Much Ado dramaturg – Lue Douthit

Much Ado BSL consultant – Brian Duffy

Hero’s Song director – Samantha Girdham

Much Ado sound designer – Adam McCready

Much Ado / Hero’s Song set and costume designer – Imogen Melhuish

Much Ado choreographer – Nisha Nath of Surtal Arts

Much Ado director – Ben Spiller

Much Ado / Hero’s Song lighting designer – Alexandra Stafford

Production team

Stage manager – Ali Bakewell

Co-producers – Jamie Brown and Samantha Girdham

Assistant stage manager – Sarah Miles

Access team

Audio description consultant – Roz Chambers

BSL rehearsal interpreters – Sarah Butt, Sarah Gatford, Alison Green, Rose Nest

BSL show interpreter – Kathryn Pearson

Captions operator – Sarah Miles

Marketing team

Graphic designers – Tom Hawkins and Sam Tickner of Firecatcher

Social media – Ben Spiller

Photography – Darren Staples

Marketing consultant – Justine Watkins-Fife

Livestream team

Producer – Jamie Brown

Camera operators and online editing – Crosscut Media

Audio description, captions and offline editing – Ben Spiller

Funders and partners

Arts Council England

Century Theatre

Friends of 1623

Play On Shakespeare

Purple Theatre