Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare, 1600

One of Shakespeare’s comedies featuring a costume ball, mistaken identities, an evil-doer, and a happy ending.  Don Pedro, prince of Aragon, and his attendants, Benedick and Claudio, enter Messina after a victorious campaign and are hosted by the governor, Leonato with his beautiful daughter, Hero and niece Beatrice.  Don Pedro’s bastard brother and angry plotter, Don John, tries to subvert the marriage between Claudio and Hero but fails and the happy couple are joined by Benedick and  Beatrice in holy matrimony.