Last night David Tennant played the Press Night for Much Ado About Nothing at the Wyndham Theatre in London. Although some press attended the Monday and Tuesday performances, it was after last night that reviews can be posted.
Also last night there were a number of celebrities in the audience, the entrance to the theatre had a velvet roped area and afterwards there was a party.
Below are all the reviews printed (plus links to photos) with a selection of their comments. If you have not yet seen the play, there are no spoilers below although there may be some if you follow the links.
This page has now been updated so that it provides the most comprehensive collection of reviews of the production after Press Night. There are now 33 reviews!
Please also see the Much Ado About Nothing section of DavidTennantOnTwitter.com for more details about the production.
The Guardian gives it four stars and compares it to The Globes production as "20 minutes shorter, more socially specific and much sexier." About David they say "Tennant is especially good at showing Benedick's transition from the self-conscious madcap of the officers' mess into a man capable of love."
The Telegraph also gives it four stars and says "The chemistry Tennant and Tate established in Dr Who survives in their performances as the disputatious lovers. Tennant, an old hand at Shakespeare, brings a fine mixture of wit, cynicism and sudden love-struck wonder to Benedick, speaks the language with Scottish-accented clarity, and proves highly sympathetic but never ingratiating. "
Ian Shuttleworth from the Financial Times gives it four stars and sums it up as "It takes no prophetic skill to forecast that it will be the feel-good hit of the summer." He also says "Tennant, who plays Benedick in his natural Scots accent, is more wry, but unafraid to charge into all-out pillock-mode and can also find the gravity when matters take a sombre turn."
What'sOnStage give it 3 stars and describes it as "the theatrical event of the year." About David Tennant they say "The masses will come to see Tennant and he's certainly worth it" and "Tennant is a Benedick to be cherished."
Julie Carpenter of The Express describes it as "a hit" and also gives it 4 stars. About David she wrote "Tennant is certainly on great sparring form as Benedick. He is more derisive than some but balances this by playing the clown with manic energy, displaying great comic timing and emphasis, while moving naturally from glib to grave."
However Paul Taylor of The Independent only gave it 3 stars and his by-line was "Tennant fails with latest try at time-travel." However, on the whole, his criticism seems to be less about David Tennant and more about the production and other actors. About David he wrote "Revelling in the hilariously sarky, sceptical music afforded by his native Scots tones, Tennant seems to subsume the functions of stand-up and top-flight classical actor" and "there is such life and gusto in the figure that the exhilarating energy alone tends to belie his anti-romantic stance."
Likewise Kate Bassett writing in the Sunday version of The Independent The Observer newspaper criticises the way the play has been produced.
Michael Coveney from The Stage also also misses the point that this production is designed to appeal to the masses (which is the market that Shakespeare originially aimed his plays at!).
Given his track record, not surprisingly Quentin Letts of the Daily Mail only gives the production three stars and begrudgingly says that David Tennant is "decent enough."
OfficialLondon.co.uk obviously likes the production and about David Tennant wrote that he "proves his versatility once again, entertaining with his comic exuberance but always finding the reality deep in Benedick’s heart."
The Arts Desk has not only a view but also some comments about the finances of the successful production.
Meanwhile The Spectator has a comparison between both productions of Much Ado About Nothing currently playing in London. This is an angle which Variety also chooses.
The BBC website has a round-up of various reviews. So too does The Guardian compiled by someone with the amazing name Leo Benedictus!
TheaterMania (a website named and aimed at Americans) also has a production comparison review. As does the New York Times but this newspaper doesn't seem to appreciate that it is a comedy so should be funny.
The Mirror wins the best title of a review award as they describe David Tennant as a "comic tour de force."
The Daily Mail barely mentions the play in an article they published the day after Press Night but has a couple of photos of both David Tennant and Catherine Tate on their way to the after show party.
The Wall Street Journal says that David Tennant and Catherine Tate taking the main roles are "as though Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn were playing Benedict and Beatrice."
Bloomberg has a brief review but includes the phrase "Tennant proves once again what a brilliant comic actor he is, with a unique ability to create intimacy with the audience during his soliloquies."
The Evening Standard gives the play 4 stars and describes David as "the star."
Everything Theatre also gives the play 4 stars and sum it up as "In short, it is fantastic." Describing David Tennant they wrote "Tennant is outstanding. His comic timing is completely impeccable."
Click here to read the review in The Times who obviously prefers the production at The Globe.
The Tottenham Jounal writes "Tennant and Tate are obviously thrilled to be reunited - which is infectious - and Shakespeare’s very own rom-sit-com looks set to be the bold, brash hit of the summer" and about David Tennant it says "The sparing banter of the text is perfectly suited to Tennant’s cheeky style and he plays Benedick as a thoroughly modern man who moves from decrying 'shall I never see a bachelor of three-score again' to falling head-over-heels with gobby Beatrice. He is just as charismatic on stage as TV."
Shakespeare's England delights in the mass appeal of the production.
Anglotopia describe it as a "great evening out at the theatre" and describe both David and Catherine as "outstanding."
Theatre critic of The Stage, Mark Shenton, has written an article about seeing the play after he has read the critics' reviews (which is how most fans will view the play).
IndieLondon obviously thorougly enjoyed the play and included the comment "Catherine Tate's comedic talent proves a great asset and what is perhaps surprising is Tennant’s ability to keep up with her. He is equally hilarious, has a great sense of timing and gives a thoroughly accomplished performance in every respect. But while both are fantastic separately, it is the pairing of these two actors that helps make the production special."
The Jewish Chronicle awards it four stars and says the "production justifies all the ado it has generated." It also says "It is brave of Tate to take on her first Shakespearean role opposite one of the country's most accomplished classical actors. Shakespeare's language comes as easily to Tennant as his Scottish brogue" and "Tennant can turn cynicism into a touching sentimentality in the blink of an eye, and often does." The review concludes with the comment "This is fast and furious Shakespeare who, with a little help from the very famous Tennant and Tate, is proving to be one of the most popular nights out in London."
Exeunt Magazine gives the play five stars and describes it as "easily one of the funniest and most exciting productions in the West End."
The Oxford Times reviewed the performance on Tuesday 14th June and say "the feelgood factor could not be any higher."
The Morning Star has given the 33rd review of the production and say that David Tennant is "particularly skilful in comedy."
Not a review but following the opening of this production The Telegraph looks at successful double acts.
Wooler.com has posted some professional photos of the press call and Getty Images has some photos from the after show party.
However the performance on Press Night was not totally error free, most especially in Act 5 Scene 2 as David Tennant played a wrong note, he and Catherine Tate did not sway in the same direction and when he dropped his keyboard a few keys came off! However there was nothing which would detract from a fun scene but they may need to get a new keyboard for tonight's performance!
At the end of the play there was the biggest standing ovation that I've seen so far this run. Usually there are one or two people still sitting but not tonight!
After the third curtain call David asked Catherine if they should do "One more?" so, as they did on Monday, they came out for a fourth curtain call which meant that the song had finished. However, unlike Monday, the crew had started playing the music that people hear when they leave the theatre.
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