BBC Radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare. Since 1923, when the newly formed company broadcast its first full-length play, generations of actors and producers have honed and perfected the craft of making Shakespeare to be heard. In Much Ado, the clarity of radio allows the wonderful verbal sparring between Beatrice and Benedick to sparkle as high comedy and melodrama mix magically in a combination of prose and verse. Revitalised, original and comprehensive, this is Shakespeare for the new millennium. ©2001 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2001 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd