Well, who'da thunk it, but once again, it's the expensive show with all of the hype that bites the big one. Yes, despite James Earl Jones & Vanessa Redgrave (or rather a lot because of them), nothing could be done to rescue the Old Vic's current production of Much Ado About Nothing. Except for, you know, maybe rehearsing the show. And having the stars learn their lines. But I'm old fashioned that way.

Better but still forgettable was Edward II at the National. I was seriously put off by its overreliance on video. Now, it wasn't boring, I'll give it that; but it was unengaging. Bah.

Thrashing them both soundly was a one-acct play called >Agamemnon, set in World War I (in a trenches bunker), following very loosely the theme of the old myth but with a soldier, not a king, and an abandoned war bride, not an angry queen. I was completely caught up in this.

Tonight it's the big Midsummer Night's Dream in the Michael Grandage series; I really hope it's not another turkey.