“Benedictus!”: When Love Is the Punchline

Official poster for Joss Whedon’s 2012 film adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing (fig.1.IMD). 

 "Benedictus!": When Love is the Punchline 

Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is a versatile play, especially in the way humor, romance, and characters can be interpreted and presented to an audience. Act 3 Scene 4 encapsulates these differences based on Beatrice's interactions with other lead female characters, Margaret and Hero. Kenny Leon's 2019 Shakespeare in the Park stage production and Joss Whedon's 2012 film's script maintains a lot of Shakespeare's original script but alter the dynamic between characters substantially, along with differing visual elements. Leon's production stages Margaret's teasing of Beatrice as more of a jocular mood while Whedon's film creates a closer interaction in which Beatrice appears excluded from the other women  in the scene. Both creative works display Shakespeare's scene in an imaginative way, but their clashing elements make the difference between their interpretations stand out and present different sides of the characters' nature. 

"Benedictus! Why Benedictus?"

Fig.2. Beatrice's eye roll at Margaret (Leon).

Margaret's reference to Benedick shifts Beatrice's sickness into an opportunity to tease her about her apparent feelings for the eligible bachelor Benedick. However, Beatrice's to the joke appears different between the two adaptations. In the 2019 stage production, Beatrice becomes increasingly defensive each time "Benedictus" is mentioned. She first rolls her eyes before questioning Margaret, "Benedictus! Why benedictus? You have some moral in this benedictus?" (Leon). Each repetition appears to deliver more attitude. She shakes her head in confusion and bobs her head along with the syllables, almost challenging Margaret to explain why she is bringing up Benedick. The reaction enhances the scene's humor because the more exaggerated Beatrice reacts to the mention of Benedick, the more obvious it becomes that Margaret has hit a nerve, and it becomes more evident that there may be chemistry between the two. 

Fig.3. Nay! (Leon).

Margaret in the stage production is also very intentional with her delivery of the following lines in the scene. Leon's production preserves Shakespeare's original wording when Margaret asserts, "You may think / perchance that I think you are in love. Nay" (78-79). Although the dialogue remains unchanged from the primary text, Margaret's delivery gives the lines a more confrontational or accusatory tone. Margaret puts a strong emphasis on the word "you", and even gestures with her hands to create a separating motion between the "you" and "I". She finishes her rant with a strong "nay" and extends her hand toward Beatrice, almost stopping her before she gets the chance to respond or rebut Margaret's point. Margaret's confidence makes the joke feel more than just teasing. By continuing to put Beatrice on the spot, she brings out a more vulnerable side of Beatrice. This reaction stands out because Beatrice is a very dominant character. Beatrice's attempts to deny the teasing only make her feelings more obvious because of how defensive she becomes. Whedon's 2012 film handles the same joke differently. This Beatrice seems more confused and concerned by the "benedictus" comment than annoyed or defensive. Instead of the guarded reaction the staged Beatrice preforms, she seems unsure about what Margaret is trying to imply. Margret is also much more soft-spoken in this version, which makes the teasing feel less confrontational at first, and more like they were deceiving this Beatrice. Even though both adaptations use the same funny remark, the wordplay with Benedick's name, the reaction change how it comes across to an audience or viewers. Leon's Beatrice is aware of the aggressions, and protects herself. Whedon's Beatrice seems more caught off guard by the joke, making it feel as though Margaret and Hero recognize her feelings before Beatrice is ready to admit them herself. This contributes to the enemies and lovers trope as they resist each other in the first half of the play. 

           Who's In on the Joke?

Fig.4. Hero's reaction (Leon).

The other women's reactions are just as important as Margaret's verbal teasing because they show who is in on the joke. In Leon's 2019 production, the scene feels like a group interaction. Beatrice and Hero sit beside each other in lawn chairs while Margaret stands above and initially behind Beatrice. Ursula is also present throughout the interaction, even though she does not have any lines. In the primary text Ursula does not enter the scene until the very end when she delivers her line: "Madam, withdraw. The Prince, the Count, / Signior Benedick, Don John, and all the gallants of / the town are come to fetch you to church" (92-94). Leon's decision to have Ursula present earlier makes her another participant in the banter, just not verbally. She nods and listens along with Margaret. As Margaret continues teasing Beatrice, she physically moves from behind her to stand between the two lawn chairs, making herself the center of the conversation. Hero and Ursula watch the exchange and even nod along with Margaret, silently encouraging what she is saying. Their reactions make it seem like everyone understands what Margaret is stating about Beatrice and Benedick's connection. 

Hero's reaction also add another layer of humor, for example, when Beatrice finally asks Margaret, "What pace is this that thy tongue keeps?" (Leon), Hero responds with a wide smile, clearly entertained by how far Margaret has taken the joke. Moments like this make the teasing feel shared between the women rather just an exchange between Margaret and Beatrice. Keeping all four women visible also allows the audience to notice these reactions as the conversation unfolds to the audience. 

Fig.5. Hero and Margaret share a laugh (Whedon).

Whedon's 2012 film creates a slightly different dynamic between the women. Hero and Margaret repeatedly turn toward one another, move closer together, whisper, and laugh while Beatrice remains socially isolated from them. Hero also reacts directly to Margaret's jokes in the moment. After she says, "For a hawk, horse, or a husband" (Whedon), Hero turns away trying to conceal her amusement. She has another noticeable reaction to Margaret's "stuffed" innuendo, looking toward Beatrice, pursing her lips, and rolling her eyes. Even when Hero is not speaking, her expressions tell the audience that she understands exactly what Margaret is implying by her facial reactions. Meanwhile, Beatrice looks unsure of how to respond, making it seem like Hero and Margaret are sharing a joke at Beatrice's expense. This difference changes how Beatrice fits into each version of the scene. Leon's production makes the teasing feel more lighthearted and gives it a repartee, while Whedon creates a closer alliance between Hero and Margaret, that leaves Beatrice more noticeably outside of the conversation. Ursula's role adds to this difference as well. In Leon's production, she is present throughout the scene and becomes another silent participant in the teasing, while Whedon waits until the end of the scene to bring her in, applying to the original text. In both versions, Beatrice is technically the punchline, not Benedick, but Whedon makes that position feel more isolating. The humor comes not only from what Margaret says, but from watching everyone else understand the joke that Beatrice is resisting. This compounding humor in the stage production adds to a more comedic scene, compared to the film which is less giggly. 

From Lawn Chairs to Lace

Fig.6. Beatrice appearing uneasy (Whedon).

The setting of each adaptation also changes the overall feeling of the scene and helps support the different ways the women interact with Beatrice. Leon's 2019 production places the women outside in a modern, comfortable setting with lawn chairs, depicting a backyard scene. Their contemporary clothing, along with shopping bags filled with lingerie, gives the scene an almost bridal shower or bachelorette-party feeling. This atmosphere works especially well with Margaret's teasing because conversations about romance, marriage, and sex already seem to engage the women. Her innuendos about Beatrice and Benedick do not feel out of place; instead, they become part of the atmosphere surrounding Hero's upcoming wedding, emphasizing the societal standard of how sex was treated mixed with modern traditions with a wedding party. Whedon's 2012 film takes almost the opposite approach by placing the women in a walk-in closet as Hero prepares for her wedding. The smaller, enclosed space makes the conversation feel solemn and personal. Hero's white lace dress gives a visual reminder of her upcoming wedding while Margaret's maid uniform immediately shows the difference in their status or roles despite how comfortable the women bantering so informally. Even Beatrice's tissues becomes important to Whedon's interpretation. Instead of only hearing Beatrice claim that she is "exceedingly ill," the viewers can see her carrying and using tissues. On the surface, the prop supports the idea that Beatrice is sick, but within a scene filled with jokes about Benedick, the meaning of her "illness" evolves. Whether she wants to admit it or not, Beatrice is clearly affected by her developing feelings for Benedick, and the tissues visually connect her supposed sickness to the emotional discomfort she appears to experience because of these unwanted feelings. Although both adaptations modernize Shakespeare's setting, they use their environments in different ways. Leon's domestic, colorful, and casual setting creates a more open atmosphere, making Margaret's teasing feel less private and more like a joke shared among the entire group and audience. Whedon's enclosed dressing room makes the same conversation feel more private and personal, which also makes Beatrice's position outside of Hero and Margaret's shared joke more obvious. The setting is not just a background for the scene; it helps determine how the joke feels and where Beatrice's role in it. 

Fig.7. Whedon uses the mirror to keep Hero and Margaret visible in the frame while Beatrice remains physically separated from their interaction (Whedon).

Framing the Scene 

The camera work also plays an important role in how the audience experiences the women's performance in the scene. In Leon's 2019 production, the camera often stays on a wider shot that keeps all four women in the frame together. Even when Beatrice and Margaret are the ones speaking to the audience, Hero and Ursula remain in the shot, allowing the audience to watch their reactions, as silent characters. Sometimes humor can come from silent characters on stage reacting to lines dramatically. Seeing Hero and Ursula smile, nod, and react makes it clear that they support what Margaret's statement. 

Fig.8. Same mirror, very different reactions (Whedon).

Whedon's film uses the camera in a more creative way, especially through the large mirror in the dressing room. Instead of always cutting directly to whoever is speaking, the mirror allows multiple characters and their reactions to appear within the same shot uniquely. Hero and Margaret can even be seen through their reflections, giving the audience another way to watch their expressions and interactions in the scene. The mirrors also fits naturally into the dressing-room setting, so the technique does not feel forced or a radical artistic decision. 

Most importantly, Whedon's camera lets the audience see things that Beatrice might not be. We can catch Hero's sly expressions, and Margaret's reactions, and the looks and laughter they share with one another, even when Beatrice is not looking at them, distracted by her tissues and sickness. In a way, this puts the audience on Hero and Margaret's side of the joke. 

The Joke is on Beatrice 

Act 3, Scene 4 may seem like a smaller moment in Much Ado About Nothing, but both adaptations show how much can change when Shakespeare's words move from the script to the live performance. Leon's 2019 production turns Margaret's teasing into an exuberant, humorous performance, while Whedon's 2012 film understates the interaction in a way. It is staged as a private moment with Beatrice excluded from the interaction in a way. Through line delivery, physical movement, setting, costumes, and camera work, both adaptations find different ways to deliver this moment. In both adaptations, "benedictus" becomes more than just a joke about her being sick; it becomes a way of exposing something Beatrice is not quite ready to admit herself. 

Fig.9. Take a bow! (Leon).


Work Cited: 

Much Ado About Nothing. Directed by Joss Whedon, performances by Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, and Clark Gregg, Bellwether Pictures, 2012. 

Much Ado About Nothing. By William Shakespeare, directed by Kenny Leon, performance by Danielle Brooks, The Public Theater, 2019. Great Performances, PBS. 

Much Ado About Nothing. IMDb, IMDb.com, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094064/. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026. 

Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, updated ed., Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2018.