Exploring Shakespeare

Much Ado - Act 5 Scene 2

Watch as Benedick (Joseph Millson) declares his love for Beatrice (Tamsin Greig) and tells her he has challenged Claudio.

Marianne Elliott and Alex Sims

Find out more about casting, development and rehearsals from director Marianne and assistant Alex.

Rehearsal photo gallery

Join the actors behind the scenes at a dance rehearsal.

Performance gallery - Acts 1, 2 & 3

Marianne Elliott's 2006 RSC production, from the return of the army and the masked ball to the hilarious matchmaking.

Performance gallery - Acts 4 & 5

Marianne Elliott's 2006 RSC production, from Hero's disasterous wedding to the play's happy conclusion.

Teachers' notes [PDF 630K]

Activities for teaching Much Ado, based on RSC rehearsal room practice. (You need PDF reader software.)

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You come hither, my lord, to marry this lady.

The marriage ceremony begins in the church.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Know you any, Hero?

Friar Francis (Patrick Romer) asks if Hero (Morven Christie) or Claudio (Adam Rayner) know of any 'inward impediment' why they should not marry.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Give not this rotten orange to your friend.

Claudio (Adam Rayner) tells Leonato (Nicholas Day) to take back Hero (Morven Christie).

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

What do you mean, my lord?

Leonato (Nicholas Day) is shocked at Claudio's accusations (Adam Rayner).

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Is my lord well, that he doth speak so wide?

Hero (Morven Christie) can't believe what she's hearing - she thinks Claudio (Adam Rayner) must have lost his mind.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Wherefore sink you down?

Beatrice (Tamsin Greig) comforts Hero (Morven Christie) as she faints, overcome with the accusations.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

O, on my soul, my cousin is belied!

Beatrice (Tamsin Greig, with Morven Christie as Hero) answers Benedick as he questions her about where Hero was last night.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Simon Annand
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

There is some strange misprision in the princes.

Friar Francis (Patrick Romer), Leonato (Nicholas Day) and Beatrice (Tamsin Greig) try to make sense of the accusations against Hero (Morven Christie). They decide to tell people that Hero is dead.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while?

Benedick (Joseph Millson) and Beatrice (Tamsin Greig) are left alone in the church. They confess they love each other.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

I am engaged; I will challenge him.

Benedick (Joseph Millson) agrees to Beatrice's (Tamsin Greig) request to take revenge on Claudio as proof of his love for her.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

It is thought you are false knaves.

Dogberry (Bette Bourne) muddles through an interrogation of Borachio (Jamie Ballard) and Conrade (Geoffrey Lumb).

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 2
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

I pray thee, cease thy counsel.

Antonio (Leon Tanner) tries to comfort Leonato (Nicholas Day).

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 1
Credit: Simon Annand
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Officers, what offence have these men done?

Don Pedro (Patrick Robinson) asks Dogberry (Bette Bourne) why Borachio and Conrade were arrested.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

I have deceived even your very eyes.

Borachio (Jamie Ballard) explains why he and Conrade (Geoffrey Lumb) were captured.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 1
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Will you then write me a sonnet?

Benedick (Joseph Millson) has to persuade Margaret (Amy Brown) to call Beatrice for him.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 2
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

The god of love, That sits above�

Benedick (Joseph Millson) sings to himself but despairs at his terrible rhyming.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 2
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

I was not born under a rhyming planet.

Benedick (Joseph Millson) gives up writing love poetry when he realises he's hopeless at it.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 2
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

Benedick (Joseph Millson) and Beatrice (Tamsin Greig) talk alone in Leonato's garden.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 2
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

And how do you?

Benedick (Joseph Millson) asks after Hero, and then asks Beatrice (Tamsin Greig) how she is.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 2
Credit: Simon Annand
Date: 2006-05-11
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Done to death by slanderous tongues Was the Hero that here lies.

Claudio (Adam Rayner) and other officers enter the Leonato family monument.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 3
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11

Which is the lady I must seize upon?

Claudio (Adam Rayner) declares he will marry the woman who Antonio picks out for him.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Simon Annand
Date: 2006-05-11

I was your other wife.

Claudio (Adam Rayner) is amazed as Hero (Morven Christie) takes her mask off.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11

Do you not love me?

Benedick (Joseph Millson) and Beatrice (Tamsin Greig) argue about whether they really do love each other.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11

I was told you were in a consumption.

Benedick (Joseph Millson) and Beatrice (Tamsin Greig) realise their friends have been matchmaking.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11

Peace! I will stop your mouth.

Benedick (Joseph Millson) stops Beatrice (Tamsin Greig) talking by kissing her.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Simon Annand
Date: 2006-05-11

A college of wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humour.

Don Pedro (Patrick Robinson) asks how Benedick (Joseph Millson) is feeling - he replies that he's very happy!

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11

Let's have a dance ere we are married.

Cuban music begins and the women dance to celebrate the marriages.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11

We may lighten our hearts and our wives' heels.

The men join in the dancing.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11

Therefore play, music.

Everyone dances together to celebrate the marriages of Hero and Claudio and Beatrice and Benedick.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11

Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife.

Dancing continues. The lights dim as Don Pedro (Patrick Robinson) is spotlit upstage.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 4
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-05-11