#and their Benedick is worthy of her

[quietparanoiac]

Much Ado About Nothing (2011) [Globe; dir. by Jeremy Herrin]

[bethanydelleman]

Both Pride & Prejudice and Much Ado About Nothing work so well as enemies to lovers because despite surface animosity, it's clear that both end couples really respect each other and for good reasons. I think you could even argue that with Beatrice, she spars with Benedick because she considers him a worthy opponent.

When Hero and Ursuala plot to make Beatrice fall in love, Hero instructs her to speak of Benedick and "praise him more than ever man did merit" and yet when Beatrice finally speaks, she doesn't disagree with their high praise, she says of Benedick:

For others say thou dost deserve, and I Believe it better than reportingly.

Benedick likewise after his eavesdropping on Don Pedro, Leonato, and Claudio's praise Beatrice says:

They say the lady is fair; 'tis a truth, I can bear them witness; and virtuous; 'tis so, I cannot reprove it; and wise, but for loving me; by my troth, it is no addition to her wit, nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her.

Similarly in Pride & Prejudice, once the misunderstanding about Wickham is cleared away, Elizabeth is able to acknowledge to herself how much she respects and likes Darcy:

She began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both: by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved; and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance.

Darcy also finds that he admires Elizabeth, after initially dismissing her:

But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness.

All of these characters also hear and accept criticism of themselves. Both Benedick and Beatrice hear they are too proud to accept love, which they both overcome. Elizabeth learns that she judged Darcy without sufficient information and Darcy that his behaviour was not that of a gentleman. Their mutual acceptance of this criticism and their growth as people leads to their ultimate happiness.

Unfortunately, those who reproduce this trope often forget to build this foundation of respect and the acknowledgement, either personally or publically, that the characters have been wrong. Instead we get characters who mid argument begin ripping each other's clothes off. No growth, no understanding how they have been wrong, it just becomes "thin line between hatred and love" instead of "we grew towards each other".

[ladykeane]

Reasons that Waluigi and Daisy would definitely end up as solid friends (or fall madly in love whatever)

Apart from the fact that they are both passionate about sports and share the experience of being sidekicks to Wario & Peach respectively:

Everything is a competition. EVERYTHING. Arm wrestling, thumb wrestling, staring competitions, rap battles, who can hold their breath the longest, who can do the loudest, longest burp... after everyone else has gone to bed these two are still up and challenging each other to increasingly arbitrary contests

Daisy is secretly (not-so-secretly?) just as much a nasty lil goblin as Waluigi. They show off their scabs to each other and scramble to eat food that has fallen on the floor. When the Mario squad orders pizza, Waluigi and Daisy order their own special pie together: pineapple, anchovy and eggplant, with green bell peppers and extra chili

They are equally softe and insecure on the inside, just as much as they are noisy braggarts on the outside. Whenever one has an unexpected moment of vulnerability, the other jumps at the chance to comfort and protect, in their own odd way. (Daisy could never have this with Luigi - the boy is a sweeetheart, but as much as he admires Daisy he’s always at least a little bit scared of her)

It is canon that Waluigi is a fantastic dancer. This would be both a courtship ritual and another competition

They are both passionate, unapologetic ska fans. They will leap down the throat of anyone who dismisses the genre and probably bump into each other at the same concerts (meet cute???)

Romantic bike rides together while throwing shade at each other worthy of Beatrice x Benedick

Both bite as a show of affection

Also she definitely pegs him

[gravedangerahead]

girl help i’ve been thinking nonstop for 12 hours about the parallels between much ado about nothing and the locked tomb series and you were the first person that came to mind who would possibly understand how feral it’s making me (specifically beatrice and benedick being a parallel for harrow and gideon respectively but also mercy and augustine in an even more tragic way)

Oooooooooh

That's very interesting, I would love yo hear you elaborate on it because it's not coming to me immediately

There's the animosity hiding affection, of course

And there's something about a pivotal moment in their relationship in the play being when Benedick trusts Beatrice without question when she defends Hero, which is what Gideon hears from Pal when she doesn't trust Harrow.

I'd say Gideon has a parallel with Benedick based on 💫vibes💫 and being the more friendly of the two

With Harrow a think ot that deep sadness in Beatrice more than the wit she hides it with. There's a mention of the circumstances of her birth, and how Beatrice's mother cried, but then there was a star danced and under that she was born. I don't know if her mother died in childbirth, but there's definitely something tragic in her.

(Would Harrow's Hero be her house, one she actually isn't completely sure is worthy, unlike Beatrice?)

But she often cries in her sleep then wakes herself with laughter, which is very Gideon-y to me?

I'm not quite grasping it yet, my take on it is very flimsy, but I'm very intrigued, please tell me more about the parallels in both couples

[allegra-j-joann]

The Agency of women in Shakespeares Tragedies and Comedies

Women have more agency in Shakespeare's tragedies than in his comedies. Are large aspect of the Puritan/protestant revolution, particularly around the 1590s was the foregrounding of marriage as the most appropriate lifestyle, the puritans encouraged their clergy to lead by example and be married with children, as opposed to the catholic clergy who prized virginity above all else. In his comedies, Shakespeare promoted this new way of life that didn’t vilify women as sexual villains and temptresses and in fact, we get a glimpse of their idea of a world where women and marriage were the key to salvation. The difference between tragedies, which follow a downward arc often with cynical moments of levity, and comedies, which follow an upward curve without being the light silliness that we know comedies to be today, is reconciliation. In a comedy, the conflict ends in marriage, the communal spirit of the characters is regenerated, and they have a path to salvation, meanwhile, in tragedies, the promise of regeneration and reconciliation dies, often alongside the women.

In Hamlet, Ophelia is a disempowered character, but if Hamlet had listened to her, and not mistreated her, and if her father hadn’t controlled every aspect of her life, then perhaps she wouldn’t have had to die. The final scene of carnage is prompted by Laertes and Hamlet furiously grappling over her corpse. When Ophelia dies, any chance of reconciliation dies with her. The world collapses in on itself. Peter Brooke’s production of Hamlet physically places Ophelia lower than other characters, staging her to be constantly throwing her at the ground in front of male characters while trying to make them listen to her, Much Ado About Nothing alternatively pivots around a woman’s anger over the abuse of her innocent cousin. If the men were left in charge in this play, no one would be married at the end, and it would certainly end in tragedy. But Beatrice stands up and rails against men for their cruel conduct towards women and says that famous line - oh God, that I was a man! I would eat his heart in the marketplace. Robert Delamere’s production gives Beatrice even more power through Catherine Tate, staging her standing front and centre whenever she speaks, standing taller and speaking louder, making it impossible for the characters or the audience to ignore what she says. And Benedick, her suitor, listens to her. He realises that his misogynistic view of the world is wrong and he takes steps to change it. He challenges his male friends for their conduct, and parts company with the prince, and by doing this he wins his lady’s hand. The entire happy ending is dependent on the men realising that they must trust, love and respect women. Ending in a society that is worthy of being perpetuated.

[bookgirlfan]

Birds, Beasts, and Haystacks

Also on AO3

“Signor Benedick!” Don Pedro called across the garden towards his friend, just emerging from the house. As Benedick came closer, he continued with a smile, “How are you this morning, Benedick, the married man?”

“All my past protests against marriage were justified,” Pedro’s brows began to draw down in concern, but Benedick continued, “for any wife other than my lady Beatrice never could have satisfied me.”

“And how fares your new cousin?”

“She does well, now that she has the faith of her husband. With your brother in custody, perhaps this time he will not take it back so readily.”

“And risk the wrath of the fearsome Signor Bendick? He would not dare.”

Pedro smiled, inviting Benedick to share in the joke, but Benedick was not so easily dissuaded. “You maligned an innocent lady.”

“We had not thought her innocent at the time,” Pedro protested, then sighed. “But that is no excuse. I would not excuse one of my subjects for not knowing a law he had broken, so how can I excuse myself? We wronged Hero terribly, and only you were wise enough to see it.”

“Not only I,” Benedick corrected. “Beatrice was not only wise enough to see it, but also had conviction enough to act. Shame be on my head for it, but without her, I never would have confronted Claudio.”

“So with her courage and her beauty, what do you bring to your new marriage?” Pedro teased.

“My wit, of course,” Benedick replied quickly, and they both laughed.

Their laughter died down, and Pedro gave a wistful sigh. “You certainly have captured a beautiful prize, Benedick. One well worthy of the challenges it took to get her.”

“Not a prize, prince, but a falcon, one who hunted me as I did her. We have now caught each other, and so I need no cage to keep her, and she can turn her talons to other prey.”

“A bird of her feathers is a rare bird indeed, and her talons have kept away much worthier hunters.”

“Like yourself?” Benedick raised an eyebrow, not unkindly but knowingly. “Even the worthiest hunter may cage a bird, whatever their intention. As my wife told you, you are too fine for every day, my prince. But for special occasions,” his voice warmed, “you would be perfect.”

Pedro laughed the remark away. “What, and Beatrice have two husbands?”

“Is there any woman who deserves two husbands more than she?” Benedick quickly retorted. “As cunning and quick as my wit is, my lady sometimes prefers a slower pace.”

“And you think I would provide her one?”

“I have seen my lord riding into battle; you know how to keep your pace steady.”

“And what would Beatrice say? Would she share her husband as you share your wife?”

“Are you so greedy, prince, that you want not only a wife, but a husband as well?” Benedick’s words were harsh, but a jesting smile was playing across his face. “If my lord commands, so it be done. My wit and I will be at your service, and none but my lady shall receive them otherwise.”

“Surely your lady will not agree to this. Just a week hence she was railing against even the possibility of a husband.”

“I assure you, prince, her railing is much more in favour now.” He winked lasciviously. “Look, here she comes.”

Pedro turned to see Beatrice striding across the garden towards them. Marriage suited her well. She looked even lovelier than usual, her eyes bright with wit and fire.

As Beatrice approached, Benedick called out to her, “My lady, what think you of having two husbands?”

Beatrice sat herself in Benedick’s lap, stealing from the plate of grapes in front of him. “A day ago I had none at all, and thought myself happy. Now I have one, and am happier still. A second, and surely I will reach heights of happiness as yet unknown!”

Benedick, wearing a self-satisfied smile, threw a grape across the table at the prince. “See, my lord? My lady Beatrice sees no problem in having two husbands, now that one husband has proved himself not displeasing.”

“Aye, not displeasing, but not pleasing either, for you,” she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, “have not yet kissed me this morning.”

“An error I will repair, so I may once again be in my lady’s pleasure.” He turned so he could face her, leaning in and kissing her deeply, irregardless of Pedro’s eyes on them.

Beatrice finally leaned back, smiling blissfully. “Error amended, my dear husband.” She turned to Pedro. “Good morning, prince.”

“Good morning, lady Beatrice.”

“Doth my husband displease you, that you stare at him so?”

“Only in that he has such a beautiful wife.” Pedro leaned over and took her hand, placing a kiss against the back of it.

“And so he wishes to make amends by sharing his wife with you. And what of me, having two husbands to manage? Shall you also share with each other, and ease my burden?”

“A burden, am I?” Benedick jostled his knee, bouncing Beatrice off balance, the grape in her hand falling to the ground.

“A burden indeed, and I the beast who carries you.” She kissed him again, then stole a grape from his fingers. “The prince is neither beast nor burden, but perhaps even a fine horse such as he could be persuaded to keep a burdened beast company.”

Pedro gazed at her, the grapes forgotten. “For you, I would have kept company as far as you would have me.”

“I would not have been a good companion for every day, my lord,” Beatrice said softly, returning Pedro’s gaze. “I was made for summer days, light and breezy. You need a companion for all weathers.”

“Soon the seasons will roll on, and take you with them,” Benedick smoothly took up her lead. “But for now, it is summer, and as long as you want us, you will have us, and we shall all roll in the hay together.”

Pedro held up a hand towards them, letting the two of them pull him out of his seat. “Then lead on, my friends, and let us find the haystack.”

[forthegothicheroine]

Benedick: Beatrice is just the worst.

Pedro: She likes you.

Benedick: Why? I'm not worthy of her!

[soundsfaebutokay]

For the THATW Ask Game, 9, 10, and 15?

9. What is your favorite performance by Madeleine?

I've answered here and here, but Marbles also deserves a shoutout. Can't find it now, but I once read a post where this song's relationship dynamic of constantly giving each other shit while being so in love is compared to Beatrice and Benedick from Shakespeare's Much Ado*, and honestly I can't stop thinking about it. Madeleine plays the perfect modern AU version of Beatrice in Marbles. She's spunky and sarcastic, tired of men's shit, with a deep well of emotion in her. Much Ado musical when??

*ETA Mar. 4, 2022: FOUND THE THING! It's this post by @suzysils.

10. What is your favorite performance by Joey?

Previous answers are here and here and here, but this time I'm staying with Marbles! The adoration is off the charts, fam. The tenderness, the sweetness. Joey's portrayal of a man who still has a big old crush on the woman he's been married to for decades is honestly more heartwarming and swoon-worthy than any romantic leading man Hollywood has ever invented.

15. If you could recommend only one THATW song to your followers, what would it be?

I picked Farewell Wanderlust here, but this means I get to pick another one, yes?? I'm gonna, and no one can stop me. I think I have a whole bunch of followers who are into twisted and terrifying love stories, which makes me wanna put That Unwanted Animal right in front of their faces. I mean:

And you rip my ribcage open And devour what’s truly yours And our screaming joins in unison I cry out to the lord Cos if we join our hands in prayer enough To God I imagine it all starts to sound like applause.

That's the vibe you're looking for right there. Give this song a shot.

The Horror and the Wild album ask game

[english-history-trip]

I hear how I am censured: they say I will bear myself proudly, if I perceive the love come from her; they say too that she will rather die than give any sign of affection. I did never think to marry: I must not seem proud: happy are they that hear their detractions and can put them to mending. (Benedick, Much Ado About Nothing)

What do I not owe you! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous. By you, I was properly humbled. I came to you without a a doubt of my reception. You shewed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased. (Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice)

[angelswatchingover]

Sometimes, you are just going through life thinking your best friend is just that, a best friend, then all of the sudden, once you find out they are in love with you, you see everything in a new light and start to realize that you, too are in love.

I like to think that maybe this is what’s going through Dean’s mind,

This is such a common storyline. I mean how many friends to lovers tropes are out there where one party only realizes they’re in love after finding out the other person is in love with them? It’s an extremely old and recurring story for a reason. It kind of reminds me of Shakespeare’s Much ado About Nothing, where our protagonists, Beatrice and Benedick seemingly hate each other. They are constantly bickering and one-up-ing one another. Until their friends play a trick on them. They tell each one that the other is in love with him or her. After which, they do some self-reflection and realize that they, too, are in love. And, man, I could name dozens of rom-coms that have this type of reveal. 

Dean has been going through life thinking that he isn’t worthy of real love. That he doesn’t do “love and... love” even though we know from his confession in 10x16 that there are “things, people, feelings that [he] wants to experience differently... or maybe even for the first time.” Dean knows that his heart aches for “something more” but I’m not sure that he really understood what it could be. (BTW, it breaks my heart that Dean hasn’t had this kind of love in his life). And Dean also thinks he isn’t worthy of those feelings because he is just an angry weapon.  

Now imagine Dean, his head spinning with hearing how valued and good and worthy he is and knowing, just freaking knowing, that the shoe was about to drop because that’s just his life and of course it did. But Cas really gave him something to think about. He had known for a very long time that there was something special and profound about his bond with Cas, that the angel makes him smile when he’s around and its nearly impossible to breathe when he’s gone. 

I imagine that “I love you, Dean” getting into his head and planting all sorts of seeds and he starts to think about what that love means to him and what if... And pretty soon he’s curious. I mean, he’s always checked out dudes a little and even had a few secret guy crushes that he was never ever about to reveal. But for Cas... maybe. And he starts to examine his feelings for Cas and let what Cas said to him seep into his psyche. He starts to realize that he feels the same way about Cas’ capacity to love that Cas said he felt about Dean. And that leads to thinking about touching Cas or kissing Cas and to his own surprise it doesn’t even cross his mind for it to be awkward with a guy in a male vessel but instead it feels... kind of perfect. And pretty soon those little seeds blossom into full blown realization that yeah, he is head over damn heels for Cas and he wants the angel more than he has ever wanted anything. Cas looked so happy and peaceful after he revealed his truth and, yeah, Dean definitely wants some of that! And when Dean Winchester is on a mission to save someone he loves, well there’s no force in the universe that can stop him.  

[shimyereh]

When I was translating Onegin, I paid a lot of attention to the theme of interaction between life and literature — characters turning to books to make sense of their lives, mapping themselves into their favorite stories. In my current work, it’s been interesting to note similar metaliterary threads running through Pushkin’s correspondence. Lots of literary quotes, of course, in several languages. References to fictional characters and literary figures. Aleksei Wulf is the “Lovelace of Tver”, Zhukovsky addresses Pushkin as “Byron Sergeyevich”, Küchelbecker’s bride is the Beatrice to his Benedick.

In a letter from summer of 1825, Pushkin jokingly suggests a scheme for Anna Kern to leave her husband and run off with him: “Isn’t my plan straight out of a novel?” Küchelbecker reflects on his final, chance meeting with Pushkin at a waystation in 1827 as having been “like something out of a novel”. There is discussion of consciously saving certain letters for posterity, for their literary value. After Delvig’s death in early 1831, Pushkin and two other friends make plans to collaborate on a biography — his life may have lacked novelistic adventures, but the beauty of its emotions and its hopes makes it worthy of being literature.

Vyazemsky visits Mikhaylovskoye nearly five years after Pushkin’s death, and finds it equally haunted by both Pushkin and Onegin.

[emeraldbirdcollector]

Why David Tennant and Catherine Tate are the BEST Benedick and Beatrice EVER.

I have just seen this version of Much Ado About Nothing. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS1wo_8L3Yc&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBEyNB5pFhI&feature=youtu.be

It is STUNNING. Not just for the physical comedy, though Tennant is an absoilute master of physical comedy, especially that involving hips, and Tate is right up there with him. (Tennant chews the scenery just as much as Branagh did in the same part, but Branagh appears to be doing it to call attention to himself, while Tennant manages to convince you that the scenery is Tasty and he’s enjoying his meal thoroughly.) Not just for the kid who shows up at random bits and gets laughs by Being A Kid. 

But Tennant’s Benedick and Tate’s Beatrice get some things right that I’ve never seen a Benedick and Beatrice get right before. 

(This is going to get long, so I’m going to put the rest of this under a tag. Please excuse me while I geek out in geeky fashion. This is my favorite play and now this one is my favorite version of it.)

They get the seriousness of what Claudio does to Hero. Both of them do. It’s a hard thing to grasp in our modern age, where an accusation like that and a rejection might break a young woman’s heart and leave her the subject of unpleasant gossip for a little while. but no worse. In the context of the play, though, Claudio would have been kinder to run Hero through with his sword. He has effectively and completely ruined her life for good, denied her marriage of any sort, denied her any chance at a healthy adult life and family, left her a lonely pariah outcast and rejected by even her dearest family members (or at least she’s supposed to be, but while Leonato goes along with it, Beatrice, bless her, refuses utterly). Which is why when she is proven innocent, he needs to make a Very Public confession of how wrong he was and how innocent she was, to undo the damage he did to her (and even then, there’s probably some remaining). 

Leonato is bitterly shamed and furious - first at Hero, but then when he’s finally persuaded that she’s innocent, at Claudio and Don Pedro. But his fury is for the shame brought on him and his family name. Hero is a symbol to him, his Sweet Obedient Daughter who has been a Good Girl so far and made him proud, and he is perfectly willing to turn on her the moment she doesn’t fit that image any more. 

Only two people immediately and completely believe Hero innocent and stand by her. The Friar, who as a Man of God is pure of heart enough to see Hero’s purity - and Beatrice, who loves Hero as her sister, who sees her as a human being who has been bitterly betrayed and wronged, who reaches out to embrace and protect her, who is utterly furious on her behalf. Hero is a person to Beatrice as she is to no one else, not just a role being played or a mobile piece of decorative household furniture that has suddenly developed an unexpected and not-previously-visible flaw. And maybe Beatrice also feels a bit of guilt there, because she wasn’t sharing a bed with Hero that night and can’t prove her innocent, likely because she was busy mooning over Benedick. 

Benedick - and Tennant does this masterfully - is stunned and in shock, and has no idea which way to turn. His loyalties are ripped nearly in two by the wedding scene - he trusts and is fond of Claudio and the Prince, but here they’re doing something really shockingly awful to a woman beloved of his own darling Beatrice, and Beatrice is as convinced of her innocence as he is of Claudio and Don Pedro’s honorable natures. He’s sure there’s got to be some misunderstanding. He wants to blame Don John, whom he does not like or trust, instead of his friends. He wants to restore sanity, find the solution, fix things. He’s the one who keeps pulling Leonato away, preventing him from hurting Hero physically, who joins with the Friar in urging everyone to calm down and think rationally, who wants to hear everybody out and find a sensible explanation for all this.

And then he’s alone with Beatrice, and her grief visibly hurts him, to the point where he blurts out his love for her just because he wants to comfort her. And for a while, she does cheer up, and she confesses her feelings too, and for a moment he forgets the situation and rejoices in her love - and then she tells him to “Kill Claudio,” and he’s shocked back into the moment. 

What Catherine Tate gets right here is Beatrice’s RAGE. She is furious at what has been done to her innocent cousin (whom, given the difference in their temperaments, she has probably looked out for and been protective of all their lives). She is absolutely merciless as she outlines, piece by piece, just how badly Hero has been wronged, belied, betrayed - and how brutal Claudio has been, and how vital it is to stand up for Hero now. She is frustrated almost to the point of madness because she can’t do it this time, she can’t fight Claudio, she hasn’t the training or the physical strength, But she will damned well make sure someone does, even if it means sending the man she loves out to either die or kill his best friend. Claudio. Must. Die.

Most Benedicks here retain a sense of torn loyalty, and go off to fight Claudio reluctantly because Beatrice demands it and it is an essential task to win her heart. Tennant’s Benedick listens to Beatrice, hears what she has to say, genuinely respects her judgement - and he is persuaded. His loyalties rip completely, and he willingly chooses his side, not just because Beatrice is on that side, but because Beatrice’s side is the right side. He challenges Claudio because he firmly believes Claudio has behaved badly and should be called out on it, and he resigns from the army because he has been persuaded that Don Pedro is no longer a fit leader to serve.  He loves Beatrice not just enough to fight for her cousin, but enough to listen to her, to trust her, to respect her, to be convinced by her. And that is why he is worthy of her - and why Don John could not get him, ever, the way he got Claudio, because Benedick would have talked to Beatrice, one lover to another, and worked out what was going on, rather than throwing her aside like a piece of artwork he bought that turned out to be a forgery. 

And in the end, most Benedicks are relieved to be able to pin everything on Don John and cheerfully, completely reconcile with Claudio. Tennant’s Benedick doesn’t, quite. He gets, as other Benedicks have not, the significance of the line being “An you are like to be my kinsman, live unbruised,” instead of “an you are innocent, let us be friends again.” There’s a bit of menace in his delivery of that line, even a warning slap in the face on the “live unbruised” - what he’s really saying is not the usual, relieved, “Oh, good, you’re innocent and it’s all that bastard John’s fault, so we’re friends again,” but “I saw what you were willing to do to my kinswoman, my wife’s best friend and sister. She’s forgiven you, and she’s in your power now, so I’ll make peace with you for the family’s sake. But try that again, and I will END you.” (To his credit, Claudio accepts that as deserved, which it is.)

Tennant and Tate also do an absolutely brilliant job of convincing the audience from the beginning that they’re really crazy in love with each other, letting their love for each other show through their sparring, making it clear that the sparring is just a protective shield to keep the other from breaking their heart again (and it’s quite clear that they’ve had some sort of relationship, and it broke - probably because Benedick was afraid of commitment - and now they’re each convinced the other hates them, but they’re still unable to stop thinking about each other, so they cover it up by constant bickering and insults). Beatrice can’t help asking the messenger if Benedick is back safely from the wars - she frames it as insults, but she’s clearly been worried. Benedick is genuinely hurt by Beatrice insulting him to his disguised face at the ball (and oh, that disguise, and the way Tennant wears it, it’s gorgeous- those HIPS omg) - unlike Branagh’s Benedick, who seems more resentful of the blow to his ego and the insult to the wit of which he is so proud, Tennant’s Benedick is brokenhearted because he’s just heard the woman he really loves dismiss him with apparent contempt and dislike. Beatrice, when questioned by Don Pedro, makes it quite clear that she’s lonely, but that she’s not prepared to marry for anything but real love - and pretty much confesses outright, in that quiet and vulnerable moment with someone who cares and won’t mock her, that her heart is still Benedick’s. And just before the eavesdropping scene, in Benedick’s monologue, he adds just a little tweak to the description of the Ideal Woman Who Could Convince Him To Marry that makes it quite clear he’s thinking of Beatrice and her alone. The palpable relief they show when they can finally admit their feelings, and when they realize the other still loves them, is glorious. They can’t keep themselves from bursting into laughter at inappropriate moments, not just because the situation is funny, but because they’ve just got so many FEELINGS and they’re finally able to be let out and it’s such a relief that they’re both downright giddy. It’s adorable. 

I would also comment here that it’s not just Tennant and Tate, though they steal the show - the other actors in this are brilliant, too.  Elliott Levey as Don John is masterfully insinuating and sneaky, a talented gaslighter, while Tom Bateman’s Claudio is just innocent and gullible enough to be readily deceived, and manages to show a level of remorse and repentance once Hero’s innocence is revealed  that make me feel less sorry for Hero having to marry him in the end than I usually am. You get the feeling he might genuinely have learned from his mistake and might be a better person in future. Jonathan Coy, as Leonato, plays him as a comfortable, genial sort of squire whose world has been turned upside down, and who is furious and out of his depth and passionately determined to get his honor back, whether that means throwing away his cherished daughter or killing his former potential son-in-law. Someone is going to pay for publicly humiliating him (not Hero, him). 

 Adam James’s Don Pedro has an easy air of authority - until Don John’s treachery is revealed, at which point he seems genuinely shaken. And he makes his proposal to Beatrice seem genuine - he’s charmed by her and attracted to her, and while he’s not yet as much in love with her as Benedick is, you get the feeling he might be, had he been given time and encouragement. I didn’t believe that either Denzel Washington’s Don Pedro - though I loved him - or Reed Diamond’s had a thing for Beatrice, but I get that loud and clear from this one. Her rejection hurts him - but he’s an honorable enough man that his next move is to get her fixed up with the man she is obviously pining for, a man she considers worth rejecting a wealthy prince for. (And rejecting him is a big deal. When Leonato thinks Don Pedro is wooing Hero as himself for himself, he gives her quite clear orders that she WILL be wooed, because after all, he’s the PRINCE. Beatrice literally turns down Prince Charming for a man of far less wealth and status, and he realizes why, given that she’s practically confessed to him a few minutes before that she’s still got feelings for Benedick - “I gave him use for it, a double heart for his single one...”) During the eavesdropping scene, he quite clearly says, “Would she had bestowed this dotage on me - I’d have doffed all other concerns and made her half myself,” and he’s only partly mugging for Benedick’s benefit, part of that is genuine, I think. And at the end, when he sees her happy with Benedick, he’s happy for her - but there’s some pining on his own behalf, too. Which makes Benedick’s “Get thee a wife!” a bit of a barbed phrase, and you can see the barb go home.  

I can’t find the name of the woman who played Margaret, but she was a delight, too, as playful and witty as Beatrice and clearly an old and cherished friend of both hers and Hero’s, as well as a servant. Certainly not afraid of talking back to her employers, well aware that Beatrice and Benedick have it bad for each other and quite willing to tease both of them mercilessly about it, but genuinely fond of both of her ladies and wishing both of them well (Borachio makes it quite clear that her seeming betrayal of Hero was innocent and unknowing, and that he was the schemer, not her). When Benedick tells the Friar and Leonato that he wants to marry Beatrice, she gives the most adorable happy squeal. I hope she continues as Hero’s lady’s maid - Hero needs someone tough and witty in her corner, though of course she’ll always have Beatrice (and now Benedick, in a brotherly sort of way) on her side as well.

John Ramm’s Dogberry and Mike Grady’s Verges get their parts thoroughly right, too - they are delightfully dim, but full of self-importance, trying SO HARD to be witty like the aristocratic characters, and they have NO IDEA what they are getting wrong. They overact like crazy, but they’re supposed to.

 Alex Beckett’s Borachio is first casually flip about his villainy and proud of his cleverness in getting so much money out of Don John and fooling the noble Don Pedro and Claudio - but then he hears that Hero died of it, and you can see the seriousness of that hitting home. He’s not as much a villain as Don John. It shakes him, that he killed an innocent woman, and you get the feeling that his confession to Leonato was not drawn from him by the constables, incompetent as they are, but came straight from him. And he takes all the blame himself and makes sure to exonerate Margaret. There’s some honor left in him.

All in all, this is the best version of my favorite Shakespeare play that I have ever seen. You should see it too.  

[shittyshakes]

Shakespeare Commentary from Someone who has never read Shakespeare (Much Ado Version)

 In which Mod Rachel just. Nerds out. Because Beatrice and Benedick deserve it.

Act 1

Scene 1

I can already tell that this shit is going to be over-dramatic as fuck, but I live for these kinds of romcoms

Beatrice is a WOMAN, like holy fuck she’s a whole mood

(yes, I’m thirsting on this feed and i’m not even sorry)

she either realllly likes this Benedick fellow or really despises him, but I’m going to go with the former

their banter is really funny though

i will state this reads like flirting? like this is just establishing all the sexual tension right?

I don’t know how I feel about Don Pedro’s character

What does Benedick have against love or is he just against Hero? Or is he just salty from his lack of love?

although to be fair Claudio did just see Hero and declare his undying love for her, that’s kind of ridiculous

“I’ll live as a bachelor”

those are famous last words, why you always lyin Benedick?

wait...

Benedick, as in bene-dick; is Benedick’s name a pun on dicks??????

I knew this play was wrought with sexual innuendos but holy crap

after confirming with Leo, I can confirm that we talked about this exact fact in lecture and I’m just a dumbass

For some reason all of Don Pedro’s plotting to set people up gives me bad vibes but maybe I’m just superstitious

Scene 2

gasp! An Antonio appears! Is he gay

side note, apparently this is the only Antonio in Shakespeare that is not and, won’t lie, I’m slightly disappointed

wait was all this scene just 2 dudes sitting around and talking about Hero? what was even the point?

Scene 3

Is Don John sad like Antonio was from The Merchant of Venice? 

for some reason I think not

oh wait, maybe he has an inferiority complex to Don Pedro

okay, since this guys name is Borachio (which means drunkard in Spanish) can I infer that he is always drunk and/or is drunk in this scene?

maybe Don John is just salty, maybe that’s all his motivation is

Act 2

Scene 1

Hero speaks!

I’m interested to see if Hero is the “hero” of the play, implementing the pun

P.S. I’ve finished reading, she is not and I’ve never been more disappointed to be wrong. I was really rooting for her

In text (before watching any kind of staged edition) I imagine this to be like the dinner in Shrek 2, so I’m curious to see how people blocked this scene in film and stage

Does Beatrice really need a husband though? She’s doing fine on her own and we stan 1 strong independent woman

side note, sometimes I forget Hero is even in this play, she speaks so little

I am so confused, who is Margaret and where did they come from? Is she even that important or is she just here to move the plot?

are she and borachio a thing? wtf even was their exchange???

Same with Ursula? 

I can’t believe they’re going to talk to Benedick like he’s not Benedick because of the mask

THE TROPES, THE TROPES

So wait, now Claudio is pretending to be Benedick? None of this is a good idea

So wait, now Claudio thinks that Don Pedro loves and wants Hero?

God, what a mess. This is more of a mess than I am

So, Benedick likes Beatrice then

he kind of reminds me of a young boy who can’t confess his feelings so he’s just awful to her (pulling pigtails)

I agree with Don Pedro that Benedick and Beatrice would make an excellent married couple; imagine the hate-sex

but also, Don Pedro has waaaaaaaayyyyy too much time on his hands

Scene 2

Is Don John being influenced by Borachio?

Is borachio the real mastermind?

better question, is borachio drunk right now?

Scene 3

oh Benedick definitely has the hots for Beatrice

oh my god he just wants her to confess first, what a dork

Claudio @ Benedick: oh how the turned tables rawr XD

I both love and hate how easily Benedick is buying into all this

They totally know Benedick is listening, those sly dogs

This is prime bad romcom right now

Act 3

Scene 1

Hero is back and with some lines

I hope she speaks more in this second half, I’m intrigued by her character

oh so even she is in on the “let’s trick Benedick and Beatrice into confessing”

I love this for her. I hope she is having the time of her life because it’s what she deserves

because tbh, no one here gives a frack about her and Claudio

Also I can NOT believe that these people say Benedick’s name with a straight face. They are basically complimenting his penis the entire play and I am here for it

I still can’t believe these dumbfucks bought it

Scene 2

ooh this is when Benedick changes appearances, he did it to woo Beatrice

i love that for him, i love that he is so soft for her

we stan 1 brotp between Benedick and his homies

Don John noooooooooooooooooooooooo

I’m really not here for Claudio x Hero but it is what it is

Scene 3

what the fuck kind of name is dogberry?

wait is this insinuating that he’s shit? or the shit?

a shitty bitch?????

so they’re just plotting

Scene 4

so much speaking from Hero

we live to see it

all things that begin with H --> ‘horny’ ;D

Scene 5

they’re talking about the wedding, right?

this is the part where i begin to get lost and wish for an adaptation to watch

so is dogberry going to crash the wedding?

Act 4

Scene 1

wait did Claudio just deny marriage? And they just continued on like nothing happened?

did he just insult Hero in front of her father?? what balls

oh he’s saying she’s unpure

oh my god this is a mess

i can’t believe that everyone just believes this? and now she’s not worthy to live? That’s cray-cray? like what is even happening

oh shit, is it happening????

oh shit it’s happening!!!

oh shit no

but as a side, please do kill claudio, he’s a dumbass who doesn’t deserve Hero

Scene 2

sexton, really?

i’m not really sure what the point of this scene was?

also what was all the talk about ass? do they mean like butts? or like a donkey? 

i’m so confused ?????

Act 5

Scene 1

so they’re talking about the “death” of Hero

so they’re pulling a juliet? or is juliet pulling a hero?

I guess this isn’t important but I don’t actually know which was written first

yeah suck on that claudio, you piece of shit

AND DON PEDRO STILL BELIEVES THIS GARBAGE

absolute heresy I say

Benedick is the actual homie, the MVP

get Claudio’s head out of his ass

god, all men are bastards except benedick

yeah that’s right, I said it

Scene 2

I actually love Benedick, 10/10 great character

I wasn’t sure how I felt about him at first, but now we gucci

I’m glad they’re back to playful bantering. 

I love that for them

Scene 3

so we’re at the “funeral” or just Claudio before the grave?

despite the fact that he’s the one that humiliated and betrayed Hero at the altar he’s still going to return every year? i’m so confused

Claudio isn’t a great character and I don’t like him

to be completely honest, I can’t even tell if he’s sad during this interaction

Scene 4

so Claudio was sincerely sad then?

Benedick’s asking permission to marry Beatrice? That’s so cute, he’s such a dork, an absolute Hufflepuff

we stan 1 respectful boi

and now we’re back with the denial and insecurity but at least we’re finally getting to the true confession

the tension was killing me

aw yeahhhhhhh, they finally kissed

I don’t know how I feel about Beatrice’s lack of lines following the kiss but it is what it is

and just remembering that during Shakespeare’s time this was all played by dudes makes me absolutely lose my shit

final rating: 7/10

Benedick and Beatrice were the highlights of this play and I can’t wait to see the adaptations to see people genuinely have fun playing these two characters

genuinely a really fun play and I wasn’t completely lost reading this so we count that as a win

minus points for claudio, i’m still salty that he and hero got married

[lolgen792]

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

Despite it being midterm season here at school and the fact that I just do not have time to succumb to a new obsession, I have made a way where once there was no way. I recently started rewatching the Lizzie Bennet Diaries and they have been so addicting to binge.

I love Lizzie’s personality, how she’s focused on her goals of finishing grad school in a subject that she’s passionate about – new media. I love her interpretations of her mother. Ashley Clements is an amazing actress. The way she acts as her mother is exactly how I would expect Mrs. Bennet from the books to speak and react. More recently, I’ve come across Lizzie’s impression of Catherine de Bourgh and I am utterly impressed. I literally laughed out loud so hard, she is just too darn good at impressions.

Lately, I’ve gone back to Tumblr looking at the Pride and Prejudice memes but also classic literature memes in general. I just think it’s so cool that there is a world of people who enjoy reading as much as you do and that after you read, you can go and essentially laugh at all the characters you just learned to love. 

The themes of Jane Austen’s novel were groundbreaking at the time – marriage based on love, the value of money and its effect on happiness, and the way class distinctions were portrayed in Regency society. The translation of these themes to the Lizzie Bennet diaries is well done and the humor expressed by Lizzie mirrors Austen’s wit in her original work. There is something special about the journey you take with the characters of P&P. In Austen’s work, it’s from pride and prejudice based on class and a terrible first impression to a shared understanding, gratitude, and mutual love. In LBD, it’s Lizzie’s lovely obsession with her irritation of Darcy to a genuine respect and care for one another. 

There is just something that literature does. It moves slowly and surely, warming the characters up to you that by the end of the novel, it is quite devastating to say goodbye. 

Two household both alike in dignity, in fair Purrona

Several for Pride and Prejudice

  If anything, literary web series have inspired my love of media and how technology can create connections through the stories that are being told. Isn’t it amazing how you can learn more about Pride and Prejudice, be along for the ship that is Darcy and Lizzie, and enjoy the costume theater and emotional portrayals of all the characters? 

There is something wonderful in classic literature – whether it is commentary on society – but even more wonderful is the adaptation of the commentary to modern day times so viewers like myself can bring new life and joy to such a powerful story.

Classic novels are great stories but they are also reflections of the time they were written in. Jane Austen’s novels were a reflection of family life and societal expectations in the 18th century Regency era. Charles Dickens wrote about poverty in London during the Industrial Revolution. 

For me, though I should be studying about religion and news media and writing papers, I am really grateful to get lost in a world that is not my own. To enjoy stepping into someone else’s story. I love the modern way of interacting with their stories through memes, and even the memes themselves can cause their own bouts of laughter. 

Here’s a collection:

If you are looking for web series that won’t get you hooked in a Netflix kind of way, will educate you and make you laugh, look no further:

  Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Lizzie’s personality is incredible, witty, and fun. Her interpretations using costume theater has been one of my favorite components. The actors are amazing in the series. The downside is you’re waiting until episode 60 to meet Darcy but he is well worth the wait. The ending is a little different from the books, and honestly, it is better. Set in modern times with an incredibly clever adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, I love the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. 

  Carmilla

Carmilla is truly wonderful because of the romance between Laura and Carmilla. It’s binge-worthy. It’s hilarious and it’s the only web series I’ve seen with the supernatural done really well. If you’re looking for queer representation, Carmilla is the way to go.

  The Cate Morland Chronicles

Before I rewatched LBD for the 3rd time, I stumbled across the Cate Morland Chronicles. It’s based on Austen’s Northanger Abbey, which I’ve never read but need to. This is the 2nd adaptation of Northanger I’ve seen – the first one being Northbound, which was fun and entertaining – but Chronicles has a twist. Cate is a self-professed and self-evident fangirl. She loves Marvel, Stars Wars, and Harry Potter. She’s all in for being a fan. She’s an aspiring journalist with a successful blog on being a fangirl, and what she’s really obsessed with is Udolpho. This series was nicely done in tying in the book in such a natural way – making Cate a fangirl was brilliant! She rants about not being taken seriously for the stories she loves. The romance builds over time and everyone’s characteristics are revealed over time.

  Jules and Monty

Jules and Monty is about Juliet and Romeo. Home to various memes – all of which I love. It was created by two college sophomores – the main leads – and it’s so well done. It takes the original families are turns them into opposing fraternities. I highly recommend this one if you love Shakespeare’s original language and any stories of young love.

  Nothing Much To Do

Nothing Much To Do is about a great group of friends in their last year of high school living out the Much Ado About Nothing. The main videos are about Beatrice and Benedick who vlog about how much they hate each other. We watch in anticipation as their countenance towards each other changes, all the while enjoying Hero, Dogberry, and Verges. Balthazar is a wonderful surprise with this talent in music. All around, it’s a fun web series to watch.

  If you have nothing much to do, consider getting into a literary web series!

Signing off, 

Gigi

  Do you want any web series? If you do, send me some memes!

All memes found via Tumblr, Twitter, or Instagram. None are my own.

Literary Web Series “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

[sabine-leo]

Dreadful Silence - Part 7

Author: @sabine-leo

Rated: M

Genre: Angst, Insecurity, Hurt / Comfort, Humor and Fluff

Pairing: Tom Hiddleston / You

Part: 7/?

Summary: After an illness your brain experienced a trauma which caused it to lose the ability to speak out loud what you want to say. To get back on your feet after months in the hospital and secluding yourself from the world takes a big amount of courage and strength. Gladly there are helping hands… those of your friends…and handsome strangers

Trigger warning: Ilness, speechlessness, Aphasia, Bullying

Note: Thank you for all your lovely comments on Part 6!! I was SO HAPPY you liked it!!  Let´s face of bitchy Hero now...

After the breakfast with your friends it took some days to really let it sink in that Tom wasn´t going to go away because of what happened. He was a bit unsure when you two went outside for 2 days. He didn´t tell you, but you could feel the tension in him whenever you had to interact with people. Trying to save you from it was not the right way to go forward, he was correct about that, even if it seemed that he had trouble to keep himself from stepping in at every possible chance you could get hurt again. Slowly you got your feet back on steady ground, you needed to be bolder, be braver. And Tom needed to see it.

 A week after the incident You stood in front of the theatre again. Your heartbeat was erratic to say the least. Your hands were wet but you NEEDED to do this. Taking a deep breath, you opened the stage door and were greeted by the doorman with a warm smile.

“You´re Toms girl! He´s behind the stage. You know the way?!”

Nodding you smiled at him and went inside. Taking another calming breath, you tried to muster a smile and reached out to open the door as it was pulled open with force for you.

Bitchy Hero looked at you with disgust on her face. “Are you happy? You got me fired!” She spit out and glared at you. “Oh no, you got yourself fired Missy! I am not having any of your antics just because you think you are pretty and can get away with it.” You didn´t know the man who was talking, but you assumed he was the man in charge here.

“Try to find someone better than me! I think you will not be successful! Why don´t you take Silent girl here…” She stormed out and jostled into you.

You took the brunt, stepped in front of her and looked her in the eyes.

“I am.. not silent! ..Pleasant…Journey!” With that you stepped out of the way and smiled…The words had come out faster then you had thought, good!

 Seeing her leave with a red head and murmuring insults made you smile a little devilish. No, you were not bitchy in any way, but she had it coming. “Karma..” The man said and smiled at you.

“You must be (Y/N). I´m Ian, the director and I am very sorry that you had to make such an unpleasant experience…Feel free to drop in whenever you like to watch rehearsals.”

Smiling you took his hand and said

“Thank.. you Ian!” Walking with him through the corridor you heard Toms voice. He was on stage giving his fellow actor a cue to start of a new scene in the play. His voice engulfed you nearly directly and made you feel save. Smiling Ian showed you to some seats from where he would watch his actors and motioned for you to sit next to him.

Silently you sat down and smiled as you saw Tom in full costume, talking to the actor who played Don Pedro. He had his text prepared and it was already delightful how he treated the words with actions and gestures to become even more alive than with his brilliant voice alone.

 DON PEDRO: Now, signior, where's the count? did you see him?

BENEDICK: Troth, my lord, I have played the part of Lady Fame. I found him here as melancholy as a lodge in a warren: I told him, and I think I told him true, that your grace had got the good will of this young lady; and I offered him my company to a willow-tree, either to make him a garland, as being forsaken, or to bind him up a rod, as being worthy to be whipped.

With the last word Tom turned to where the audience would sit and spotted you. He did a double take but then started to grin very radiantly. Ian nudged you and stood up.

“Well, Tom. I am very glad you are happy to see me…” He teased. Tom Laughed a little.

“I do my fair director, I do, but the lady sitting next to you captured my attention as a shooting star would catch the attention of a stargazer.” You blushed a little but grinned at Tom who bowed very elegantly and held out a hand for you to mount the stage with the help of the 3 little steps.

 “Go ahead, kiss that poor fella!” Ian laughed and yelled “30 minutes break!”

Shaking your head a little, you stood up and let Tom help you to the stage. He engulfed you in his arms almost instantly and bend you backwards for a kiss. “How come you are here?” He asked near your lips. But then the joy of seeing you got clouded over with fear. “You saw bitchy Hero?”

He straightened you again but kept your waist in a firm grip as if he was scared that you would run again. Last time you were on stage with him wasn´t a pleasant memory for him, or you.

 “She did indeed..” Ian said as he walked up the stage too. “She saw me as I fired her…And if I might say so, your Lady managed to make her fume. Deservedly so!” With that Ian was backstage and Tom just stared at you. “What did you do?!” Grinning a little sheepish you started to tell him what had happened. It took you a while but even eager to hear everything Tom gave you all the time you needed to get the words out. “She jostled into you and you stepped in her way?” He asked in awe.

“Good Lord, I would have liked to see that!” He laughed and kissed you deeply.

 As his lips let you take in a new breath, he put his forehead against yours and softly said

“I am so proud that you came back here, that you faced her and stood firm.”

“You are…here.. wanted to..see you!” You slowly said and kissed him.

His eyes were shiny as he looked at you after the kiss. Smiling at him you touched his cheek and gave him another kiss. “You are…mine!”

Tom grinned and winked at you

“Indeed I am…but tell me again when we are in bed later!”  

 Looking mockingly shocked at him you signed

Who said you and I would share a bed tonight? We have shared one only once…

And that was the time when all had gone to hell after you ran…

 “I do!” He smirked “You and I are going to have a proper…sleepover…tonight and don´t even try to change my mind!” He stole another kiss and hugged you close. “Thank you for coming to see me! It really means a lot to me!” This man…he really was trouble! From suggestive to sweet and charming in 0.1 seconds straight. How could you say no?! To hell, you didn´t want to say no anyhow!

“Darling… have you forgotten, I can hear your thoughts!” You laughed and bit your lip before saying.

“Then you… know…my answer”

 You got out of Toms hug and went backstage with him watching you with a big grin on his face.

“Yes?!” He asked before coming after you. Turning to him you signed with an arch of your eyebrow.

 I thought you know ??!

 The rest of the break you and Tom talked to the other actors and shared some minutes alone before he had to be back on stage. “Stay?” he asked before he had to leave. You just nodded and kissed him.

Walking back to the seats you relaxed and watched the play come to life bit by bit.

 Taking in this theatre and the people on stage you felt a sense of rightness, of calm come over you like a soft blanket. You never have had that feeling besides with your close friends in your or their home after the illness. But now…it was a relief to feel a bit more like yourself again. Able to enjoy what you had enjoyed before and not being brought down by anybody. You had faced of bitchy Hero and you had stood your ground. Seeing Toms proud look had made it so much more worth it to overcome the fear of being bullied again.

 You felt different than the last time you had hit the ground. This time you felt stronger somehow.

 There would be setbacks for sure, but you would not allow ANYBODY to crash you completely again!

Tags for: @witchbitch-stuff @drakesfiance @confessionsofastrugglingteen @mylovelycrazyworld? @snarkalumpf  @inlovewithfreyamikaelson @heart-shaped-hell @theoneanna @marikochi @xxxeatyourh3artoutxxx

[traitorsinsalem]

Much Ado About Nothing but it takes place at a high school dance competition (i'm sorry)

I wrote this a really long time ago and I just found it and I think your blog is worthy of the trash, here we go

hear me out

Don Pedro and crew are a dance group from out of town (don pedro is the student leader ovi), and claud and benedick are damn good when they try, which is not often. Leonato is the stage dad of Hero, and has been too a ton of comps, so he lets a team he knows from seeing them everywhere stay at his house for the big three day weekend long comp instead of getting a hotel. 

The Aragon Acrobats (and don pedro’s half bro and his team) get there on friday afternoon to settle in before everything starts. They hang out with beatrice and hero (who are also competing) for a bit. Benedick and Beatrice bant about how shit the other one is at dancing. Then Ben and Claud get settled in their room for the weekend, and Claud is like “duddee Hero is so pretty and skilled” and Benedick is like “nooo, dating girls from other town is a bad idea, also love is gross.” Don Pedro walks in and is likes “we have this in the bag, whats up losers?” so then ole benny goes “Claudio likes Hero!” and pedro’s like “Cool, want me to talk to her for you? You know what, one of the other teams is throwing a party, it’s costume, I’ll pretend to be you, it’ll be hilarious.” and claud’s like, “thanks bro” and pedro is like “uh huh, anyway, Antonio just arrived in Illyria and shit is going down, gotta call him, see you tonight.” and leaves. 

That night everyone is dressed in old dance costumes and masks, and are getting hammered (leo’s not there). Don Pedro goes up to Hero in his Prince Eric costume from when his group did the little mermaid (plus a sliver mask). And does the whole bit, dances with her, talks Claudio up, and asks if she wants to dance with him in the competition wide talent show on sunday. She says yes, and they chill out for a bit more. Meanwhile Don John tells Claudio that Don Pedro is asking Hero to the talent show himself. Cluadio tells Benedick, and Benedick tells Don Pedro. Don Pedro talks to Claudio and is like “Dude, I was asking Hero to dance with YOU at the talent show, she said yes, by the way.” and claud is like “oh my god im sorry, thank you."  He talk to Hero and gets everything sorted for the talent show and gets to hold her hand and writes ben three paragraphs about it over text because he is very drunk and he has feelings.

The next day, since the comp starts at noon, Pedro hangs out with everyone (besides beatrice and benedick) and is like "Ben and Beatrice are losers, and I’m bored we should get them together.” and everyone hatches up the plan of bea’s team showing up at their practice room early, waiting until bea rounds the corner, and talking about how much ben likes her, and for ben, don p says he’ll think of something.

Meanwhile Don John and his crew plot about how “Don Pedro gets all the awards” and how “his backhand spring isn’t even that good.” And they come up with the plan of Don John telling Claudio that Hero is cheating on him, and going to see Borachio dancing with and kissing “Hero” (Margret) at a window in the middle of the night.

In the first round of competition they call teams one by one and the other teams have to sit quietly and wait for their turn. As per Don Pedro’s plan (which may or may not have been made up on the spot) the team starts to pass a note, adding on as they go, first starting with Pedro to Claudio then making it’s way around the whole team, sans ben, which makes him so angry he’s ready to pry it out of someone’s hand when the team gets called and they leave the paper folded on the floor. They do their dance and on their way out Ben grabs the paper out of the trash, thinking he’s being sneaky. He reads it and finds out that bea likes him and he freaks the fuck out and flushes the paper down the toilet in the competition hall, clogging it, like an asshole.

After a few rounds, it’s time for lunch, beatrice is sent to ask benedick what he wants from subway while he’s sitting in the corner stressfully talking to himself, he acts weird (”why the fuck would it be painful for me to ask what kind of bread you want?”), bea is like “so,, blt then?” and she walk back to the group lunch table where she “overhears” Hero talking about how Ben loves her and bea is like “okay… wtf is my life” and she goes and stretches for the next round and screams internally.

Before the next round, ben gets stomach ache and the boys are like “lol you’re love sick” and he’s like “fuck off i’m going to talk to coach.” and he leaves. Don John walks in and is like, “ped-bro, i know the round is starting soon but hero is cheating on claudio, just talk to him and meet me outside of the house tonight at 11 lol okay bye.” Everyone is confused so they do, and as planned, don john leads them outside of a practice rom window and its dark and theres kind of a fence in front of the window so claud is like “well fuck,, i should slut shame her in front of everyone…” and pedro is like “yeah that makes sense lets do that.”

The heads of the event kick out don johns hench men friends for smoking.

The next day, beatrice gets a stomach ache and hero is like “love sick?” and bea flips her off while going to make pancakes. 

The talent show happens and claudio changes the song their dancing to, to one which uses some,, choice words,, for women, “accidentally” drops her on a dip and walks out, leaves a note with,, choice words,, for women, in her dance bag, and when she tries to follow him to figure out what happened, screams some,, choice words,, down the hallway at her, leaving her in a pile of tears on the ground as Ursula runs down the hall after her.

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