Beatrice and Benedict (1983)

In the park of Leonato, the Governor of Messina, the citizens joyfully await the return of Don Pedro and the victorious Sicilian army. Hero is delighted to hear that her beloved, Claudio, has returned without a scratch; Beatrice enquires caustically after Benedict — “there is a kind of merry war; They never meet but there’s a skirmish of wits” Hero’s betrothal is quickly settled on Claudio’s return, but Beatrice and Benedict mock each other in a way that does not quite conceal their mutual interest. The men of the party resolve to trick Beatrice and Benedict into admitting their love. Somarone rehearses his Wedding Song with some difficulty, and Don Pedro uses the opportunity to open the battle: Benedict is allowed to “overhear” his friends discussing Beatrice’s astonishing interest in him. Hero, happy at the approach of her wedding, plots with Ursula to deal with Beatrice in the same way. Night falls.

Later that night, at a to celebrate the fête champêtre to celebrate the double event of the victory and the wedding, there is much dancing and singing, food and drink, which lead first to Somarone’s drunken downfall in song and thence to the machinations of Hero and Ursula on Beatrice’s behalf. They find her strangely different; during Benedict’s absence at the wars, she has dreamed of him incessantly and has unsuccessfully tried to laugh those dreams away. She resolves: “Contempt, farewell, and maiden pride, adieu! Benedict, love on, I will requite you!” The next confrontation between the pair, however, fails to unite them; it is only when they are faced at the wedding with a second, unsigned wedding contract that they agree to take each other merely “for pity.” They both acknowledge the power of love and the giddiness of mankind, but continue to play out the comedy of scorn under which they have hidden a passion too deep for others to understand.

“For today a truce is signed: we’ll become enemies again tomorrow.”

Colin Graham