Welcome
Here is the spot where Val will be sticking all of the random tidbits about things that come up in rehearsals-- it may be transferred to a different section, but Val will always make sure that is known.
31- January: "My visor is Philemon's roof; within the house is Jove" (2.1)
This line is said by Don Pedro to Hero during the party scene when he is trying to win Hero over for Count Claudio. Similar to a lot of the lines in this play, it is referencing mythology/literature in order to get a point across. "Philemon's roof" is a reference to the myth "Baucis and Philemon" in which the Greek gods Hermes and Zeus (aka: Jove) disguise themselves in order to obtain hospitality from an elderly couple (Baucis and Philemon).
Essentially what's being said here is that while Don Pedro is currently wearing a disguise/doesn't appear to be much, there is something greater and/or god-like that lies behind it. The line that follows can be interpreted as a bit of a backhanded compliment on Hero's part, since it can either mean "you shouldn't be so modest" or "if that were really true you wouldn't have any trouble wooing someone".
29-January: Give Not This Rotten Orange to Your Friend (4.1)
During the first wedding scene in Much Ado About Nothing, Claudio refers to Hero as a "rotten orange" when bringing the false information that she is impure to his wedding as a reason to not marry her. While this is a literal reference to the fact that in Claudio's eyes Hero is "spoiled" and "unfit for consumption", but it also has biblical context in that it's referencing impure or sinful acts or people in the midst of pure and sinless things. This comparison is also seen as interesting because it also references back to the beginning of the play when Beatrice refers to Claudio as "as civil as an orange" (which can mean looking nice/polite while having a sour undertone).
27-January:
Much Ado About... Weeds?
One of the biggest things that Shakespeare is known/remembered for is his use of wordplay and puns. This is something that is seen in a lot of his work, but given the intellect of Much Ado's characters, there is a good amount in the play.
One of these is the reference to cardus benedictus in the scene where Beatrice is seen with a cold. It's a play not only on Benedick's name, but also a reference to a real weed that was seen as a "cure all" for any and all diseases in the Elizabethan era. It's also a crude reference to Benedick being the only thing to cure Beatrice's ailment.