Casting is announced for the RSC’s forthcoming production of William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Michael Longhurst. It runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between Saturday 12 April to Saturday 24 May.  

Set in the world of top-flight football and celebrity culture, where scandal-filled rivalries are the hottest new thing and lads and WAGs collide, Longhurst’s Much Ado About Nothing is the first production in Tamara Harvey and Daniel Evans second season as Co-Artistic Directors of the RSC.  

Freema Agyeman, who made her RSC debut in Twelfth Night last year, plays Beatrice. Freema is known for her WhatsOnStage Award winning performance in Romeo and Juliet at the Duke of York Theatre last year. This upcoming role will mark her third Shakespeare production in two years. Her screen credits include New Amsterdam, Dreamland, Sense 8, Dr Who and Torchwood. 

Nick Blood makes his RSC debut as Benedick. Nick was recently in After The End (Stratford East) and joins the cast following a recent SAG nomination for his role in Day of the Jackal (Sky). He is well known for his role as Lance Hunter in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Other screen credits include Joan, Slow Horses, Andor, Euphoria and Trollied. 

Eleanor Worthington Cox plays Hero. Eleanor made history in 2012 when she was awarded the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for playing the title role in the RSC’s Matilda The Musical. Her recent stage work includes Next to Normal, The Secret Life of Bees and Jerusalem. Screen credits include Britannia, The Irregulars, The Enfield-Haunting, Cucumber, Hetty Feather and Maleficent. 

Daniel Adeosun makes his RSC debut as Claudio. His previous theatre work includes The Comedy of Errors (Globe), Trouble in Mind (National Theatre), The Secret Love Life of Ophelia (Greenwich Theatre) and his screen credits include The Red King, Andor, September 5, The Book of Clarence. 

The full cast comprises: Daniel Adeosun (Claudio), Freema Agyeman (Beatrice), Azan Ahmed (Conrade),  Nick Blood (Benedick), Gina Bramhill (Margaret), Nick Cavaliere (Verges), Flaminia Cinque (Sexton/Ensemble), Peter Forbes (Leonato), Tanya Franks (Antonia), Lydia Fraser (Ursula/Ensemble), Olivier Huband (Don Pedro), Megan Keaveny (Ensemble), Nojan Khazai (Don John), Antonio Magro (Dogberry), Posi Morakinyo (Balthasar/Oatcake/Ensemble), Jay Taylor (Borachio), Arthur Wilson (Seacole/The Friar/Ensemble), Eleanor Worthington-Cox (Hero). Full bios can be seen here.