MUCH ADO SYNOPSIS
PART 1
Act 1 of Much Ado About Nothing begins with the announcement that the debate team of the elite Aragon University, composed of students Claudio, Don Pedro, and Benedick, have become the champions of the National Debate Tournament and are returning to Leonato’s home in the Upper East Side of New York to celebrate. At Leonato’s the relationships between characters are explored, such as Hero, the daughter of Leonato, and Claudio having feelings for each other, Beatrice, the niece of Leonato, and Benedick having a fierce rivalry, and Innogen being seen as Hero’s mother and a reliable person. Claudio confesses his feelings for Hero to Don Pedro and Benedick and admits he would like to marry her. Benedick despises the idea but Don Pedro is enthralled with the idea and conceives the idea to host a masquerade party and woo Hero disguised as Claudio. Antonia, Leonato’s sister, and Borachio, a scoundrel, both hear of the news and go off to spread this information. Meanwhile, Don John, who is the illegitimate brother of Don Pedro, despises the joy that everyone is feeling and refuses to buy into this privileged society to stay in his brother’s good graces, despite the objections of his friend Conrade. Borachio arrives and tells the both of them that Claudio and Hero may be married, which Don John sees as an opportunity to deliver sabotage against his brother and Claudio. He convinces Borachio and Conrade to help him in planting the seed of doubt into Claudio’s mind, ruining any potential relationship the two could have. At the party, Beatrice confesses to a disguised Benedick about all the things she finds unflattering in him, causing him emotional distress at being insulted and unable to defend himself. Don John begins to plant doubt in Claudio’s mind about Don Pedro’s true intentions, but is foiled when Don Pedro gives Hero to him and Leonato gives his blessing to the marriage. Seeing Benedick and Beatrice’s fight, the group of Hero, Innogen, Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro agree to trick them into falling in love with each other. Later, Don John, who is upset at the plan’s failure, is consoled by Borachio who offers a counter plan. He explains that Margaret, Hero’s best friend, has feelings for him and explains that he will text her to open Hero’s bedroom window at midnight and wave at him. Borachio then addresses how Don John will bring Claudio to the window and trick him into thinking that Margaret is Hero and that he is being cheated on. Don John, pleased with the plan, offers one thousand dollars to Borachio if the plan is successful. The next day, Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro trick Benedick into thinking Beatrice loves him, while Hero, Margaret, and their friend Ursula trick Beatrice into thinking Benedick loves her, resulting in the two of them beginning to question their own feelings to the other. Later, Don John runs into Don Pedro and Claudio and claims that he believes Hero is disloyal and that they will see concrete proof later that night. The first act ends with Don Pedro and Claudio skeptically agreeing to meet Don John later to see if his accusations are true and decide that if they are true, they will shame Hero at the wedding.
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PART 2
The second act opens with the ever gossip-loving friends of Innogen, Dogberry and Verges, recruiting members for their organized neighborhood watch. After interviewing several members, they settle on George Seacole, who’s notable talent is that he can text and post on social media. On his first night, he finds and records a drunken Borachio confessing to Conrade how the plan went off successfully and how he made so much money by doing this for Don John. Seacole arrests the two on the spot and, after some failed bribery, calls the other members of the watch. The next day, as the wedding is getting ready to start, Hero’s friends comment on the different aspects of Hero’s dress, wedding, and on having a good husband, which becomes a back-and-forth between Beatrice and Margaret. Right before the wedding, Dogberry and Verges approach Innogen and Leonato with the video of Borachio’s confession but find themselves ignored due to Innogen being stressed from organizing the entire wedding and Leonato not having the patience to wait for them to pull up the video. During the wedding, Claudio, Don Pedro, and Don John ridicule Hero for being disloyal, turning her own father against her and causing her to faint from the shock. When she comes to, Innogen and the Friar plan to proclaim that she is dead while her innocence is proven and to put Claudio through the pain that Hero now has to experience. Benedick promises them and Leonato that he will support them and Hero in this endeavor. He then comforts Beatrice and the two confess to loving each other. She then asks Benedick to ruin Claudio and, after some hesitation, Benedick agrees to pry the truth out of him. Leonato, Innogen, Antonia, and Benedick all shame Claudio and Don Pedro, telling how Hero died because of their harsh claims and that Don John tricked them and has now fled. After this confrontation, Dogberry and Verges arrive with the captured Borachio and Conrade and expose their crimes by showing the video. Claudio, realizing his mistake, begs for Innogen and Leonato to deliver any punishment they see fit for what has been done to Hero. Leonato decides that Claudio must publicly announce Hero’s innocence and apologize for his error by marrying her cousin. An epitaph is created to honor Hero and Claudio goes to marry Hero’s cousin, who reveals herself to be Hero. However, Hero rejects Claudio after being betrayed by him and discusses with her parents her decision. Claudio and Hero then reveal letters that Beatrice and Benedick wrote proving their love for each other. Claudio and Don Pedro apologize to Hero for what they have done which she responds to by stating she will think on forgiving them. Benedick encourages a friendly dance and everyone begins to celebrate. However, Hero goes off to the side to pick up a suitcase and signals to her family that she will call them. The play ends with Hero leaving with Balthasaar, indicating that she is leaving behind the society that abandoned her.
