Much ADO about Nothing

This play needs little description, being one of the favorites in the Shakespeare corpus. The mention of Beatrice and Benedict will jostle the memory of any who have had a momentary laspe. The title, though, might be a stumper even for the initiates. Obviously this is not a Seinfeld spin-off. "Nothing" in 16th century England was pronounced more like "noting," according to some. Certainly one of the issues in the play is the conclusions we draw from what we "note" or observe or learn by hearsay. Further wordplay is possible if you make "nothing" two words, with "thing" referring to male gentalia. So now we have a play that's about those with a thing and whose without a thing. I don't think Shakespeare has given away the plot in his title, but he's having a lot of fun - "playfulness" we call it