Sheffield Theatres announces the full cast for their production of William Shakespeare’s well-loved comedy Much Ado About Nothing, co-produced with Ramps on the Moon. This will open at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield this September before embarking on a UK Tour.
A pioneering initiative, Ramps on the Moon is a consortium of theatres which aim to enrich stories and the ways in which they are told by putting deaf and disabled artists and audiences at the centre of their work.
Playing the roles of Beatrice and Benedick are the previously announced Daneka Etchells and Guy Rhys.
Joining them, the cast includes: Lee Farrell playing Verges, Laura Goulden playing Margaret, Amy Helena playing Seacole, Karina Jones playing Antonia, Kit Kenneth playing Balthasar, Leo Long playing Oatcake, Gerard McDermott playing Leonato, Taku Mutero playing Claudio, Fatima Niemogha playing Don Joan, Caroline Parker playing Dogberry, Dan Parr playing Don Pedro, Shreya Patel playing Ursula, Richard Peralta playing Friar, Ciaran Stewart playing Conrade, Claire Wetherall playing Hero, and Ben Wilson playing Borachio.
Besotted young couple Claudio and Hero have fallen fast and are quickly engaged. Not everyone finds romance so straightforward – Benedick balks at the very thought of it and Beatrice agrees with him, on that if nothing else. But somewhere in this world, there’s someone for everyone, even if they’re right under your nose.
Robert Hastie, Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, said: ‘It is with much excitement that we take the lead for this year’s Ramps on the Moon production, which opens in Sheffield before touring to stages across the UK. Ramps on the Moon is a collaborative partnership which we are so proud to be a part of, and it is a thrill to produce such a well-loved Shakespeare play in our birthday year. Witty and uplifting, Much Ado About Nothing is a joyous show with a big inclusive heart and we have an incredibly talented cast to bring it to life.’
Michèle Taylor, Director for Change at Ramps on the Moon, added: ‘In a year of Much Ados, Sheffield Theatres’ production is sure to stand out and I can’t wait to see what the company does with the play once they get into the rehearsal room. Ramps on the Moon with Shakespeare is such an exciting prospect and represents yet one more milestone in our journey towards real equity for disabled and deaf people in mainstream theatre.’
Opening in Sheffield from Friday 9 – Saturday 24 September, the production will tour to Leeds Playhouse (Tuesday 27 September – Saturday 1 October), Birmingham Rep (Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 October), Nottingham Playhouse (Tuesday 11 – Saturday 15 October), New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich (Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 October), Theatre Royal Stratford East (Tuesday 1 – Saturday 5 November), and Salisbury Playhouse (Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 November).
Tickets for Much Ado About Nothing are on sale now with every performance featuring the use of integrated creative sign language, audio description and captioning. Tickets can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.
