Much Ado About Nothing Gender Roles

In its fall production of Much Ado About Nothing, the American Shakespeare Center stay true to the theatrical roots of the Elizabethan Era with the use of character doubling throughout the play for dramatic and thematic purposes. For a play that relies heavily on the idea of deception, the usage of actors for multiple roles is given additional significance, as it emphasizes how appearances are the driving force behind the plot of the comedy. This is observed through the transformations of three specific actors, who throughout the play alternate characters that are polarizing in their differences of gender, morality, and social stature. With this in mind, it is clear the deceptions are not only effective in altering the perceptions of characters amongst themselves but the audience as well, as appearances are instantly able to shift the impression of the actors as a whole. …show more content…
In her projection as both a maidservant to Beatrice and one of Don John’s personal followers, Babich is able to highlight how fluid the concept of gender is in a live showing of Much Ado, and must have been in Shakespeare’s era. Essentially, Babich is playing the same role as an assistant for two different characters, yet with a simple change from a dress to pants, is able to be seen in a new role. Furthermore, it is important to note the casting choice of a woman for the role of Conrad, as it has been debated by scholars that his gender or sexual orientation in this play is not exactly clear in the text. In order to make this idea come across to the audience, it makes sense to have a female playing this