"Much Ado About Nothing" by William Shakespeare.

Nottingham Playhouse.

Shakespeare's much-loved comedy is a collaboration between Sheffield Theatres and Ramps On The Moon who add a fresh zing to this production.

Unfortunately, the shows on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday matinee were cancelled meaning the run has been a shorter one than they would have liked but these things happen, and the show last night and today did go on.

The main plot of "Much Ado About Nothing", for anyone who does not know the play, focuses on the courtship and scandal involving young Hero and her suitor, Claudio.

Set in Messina, the play begins as Don Pedro’s army returns after a victory. Benedick, a gentleman soldier, resumes a verbal duel with Beatrice, the niece of Messina’s governor, Leonato. Count Claudio is smitten by Leonato’s daughter, Hero. After Don Pedro woos her in disguise for Claudio, the two young lovers plan to marry in a week. To fill in the time until the wedding, Don Pedro and the others set about tricking Benedick and Beatrice into falling in love with each other. Meanwhile, Don Pedro’s brother, in this production Donna Joanna as opposed to Don John, plots to ruin Hero and put a stop to her wedding. Claudio believes Donna Joanna’s deception, is convinced Hero has a lover, and, at the wedding, rejects her.

With Hero in hiding and alleged dead, Beatrice persuades Benedick to fight Claudio. Tragedy is averted when the city watch, having discovered Don John’s treachery, arrives and clears Hero’s name. With Claudio forgiven, both couples are ready to get married.

One thing about putting on a Shakespeare play is that it's almost like a blank canvas, well apart from the characters, the plot and the script; apart from that it can be set in any decade using any costumes and it still be as entertaining.

The set was like being outside of a long conservatory in the woods. Inside was a long table, laid expectant for a meal; the sliding door opened to allow the actors out and us to view inside. Almost like one of those horror films set in the woods where you just know that everyone bar one is going to get killed off - sorry in the horror film, not in this play! Peter McKintosh designed this very modern set.

In fact, everything about the set and the production was modern. On top of the conservatory was a telecaster which relayed the script to the deaf and hard of hearing audience members. There were also a few lines that Shakespeare didn't write added to the script for humorous effect. The whole show was also presented in British Sign Language (BSL) by most of the actors.

There was even a hoe down, resplendent with cowboy costumes and line dancing for the celebratory wedding scenes and a massage parlour!

The whole show lasts a smidge under three hours, including the interval. What extended the running time was the introduction of every character to explain their role and what they were wearing, and their relationship within the play. I imagine that this would be very helpful, not just for the visually impaired and the deaf and hard of hearing, but also for anyone who was new to the play and Shakespeare as a whole, so I applaud that.

Ramps On the Moon, who were set up on 2016, aim to normalise the presence of deaf, disabled and neurodiverse people on and off the stage, and I find this really refreshing to see on stage, plus there should be no barriers in theatre for anyone; it enriches the performance.

I'm not going to focus any one of this brilliantly talented cast, to tell the truth I wouldn't know where to start. They provided a different view of Shakespeare's classic comedy, which flew by, so I must have been engrossed, even though I've seen the play itself several times, and every time different to the last. So, the cast that I saw tonight, Friday, were as follows, in no particular order whatsoever.

Daneka Etchells (Beatrice) - sorry I did say that I wouldn't focus on any one, but I did love Daneka's performance as the feisty Beatrice, Lee Ferrell (Verges) - and who doesn't love a bit of camp in a Shakespeare play, Laura Goulden (Margaret), Karina Jones (Antonia), Kit Kenneth (Balthasar), Oatcake in tonight's performance was played by Os Leanse, Gerard McDermott (Leonato), Taku Mutero (Claudio) - who has the most expressive eyes I've seen in ages, his eyes deserve a Facebook or Instagram page of their own. Fatima Niemogha (Donna Joanna), Dan Parr (Don Pedro), Dogberry tonight was played by Alexandra Whiteley, Shreya Patel (Ursula), Richard Peralta (Friar), Guy Ricks (Benedict), Ciaran Stewart (Conrade), Claire Wetherall (Hero), Ben Wilson (Borachio) and Emily Howlett tonight played Seacole.

An incredibly talented cast who made Shakespeare so easy going, and easy to understand for everyone who attended.

Directed by Robert Hastle, who is also the Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres.

Ian Scott's Lighting Design and Sam Glossop's Sound Design were perfect; sometimes the bird song in the background was that subtle you often didn't notice it was there until there was a gap in the script, which didn't happen very much as the script is so fast paced.

John Biddle composed the music, and this really elevated this piece of theatre, giving it even more pace and added that touch of country and bluegrass fun. Shakespeare and Bluegrass, who'd have thought?

Shakespeare is not a playwright to be afraid of. His language may be a bit different but when the production is as much fun as this one, you'll get what is happening so easily without having to "get" every word.

Loved the production and love this cast.

"Much Ado About Nothing" is at the Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 15 October.