Dreamers

Published 9 Aug 2010 09:00 0 Comments

Samantha Colenutt looks at the latest production by Shakespeare's Globe

LET Shakespeare's globe take you to a fairytale world this August as they perform Shakespeare's magical romantic-comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, at South Hill Park in Bracknell, under the summer sky.

The grounds will be the stage for the small, acclaimed troupe of actors as they present their 'refreshing and very funny' take on Shakespeare's well-loved classic in the grounds of the park between Thursday and Sunday, 19-22 August.

Director, Raz Shaw, has stayed true to the heart of the play but has transformed the Elizabethan setting to the 1920s, making it accessible to people who have not seen Shakespeare before as well as Shakespeare fans.

Follow the story of lovers caught in a fight between true love and family tradition, fleeing to the woods for refuge.

Meet Puck armed with the love juice that he claims can make anyone fall in love and escape with the mystical characters of the woods.

Audiences can expect a roller-coaster ride of emotions as the characters show magic and love entwine. True to Shakespeare's words - "the course of true love never did run smooth".

Bethan Walker, 26, who plays Puck in the production, told The Guide how much the actors rely on each other to create this intimate performance.

She said: "There are eight of us in the troupe but there's actually about 27 characters in A Midsummer Night's Dream so we are all playing at least two or three characters.

"We have to rely and trust each other so much. It's amazing to be working with such an incredibly talented bunch of people."

Bethan, who has travelled all over the world with The Globe Theatre tour, thinks that performing the play in the open air is really important.

She said: "We're sort of presenting Shakespeare in its truest and rawest form to people all around the country."

She added: "It's really interesting to be able to present a play with so little technical assistance - it sort of proves that all you really need is a cracking story and the voices to say the words."

Guests are invited to bring picnic rugs and blankets but are advised to dress for the weather as performances will continue unless conditions are at the most extreme.

Performances start at 7.30pm each evening and there is one matinee performance on Sunday at 3pm.

Standard tickets are £15.50, concessions are £14.50, members pay £13.50 and under 21s pay £10.50.

For more information go online and visit www.southhillpark.org.uk or call the South Hill Park box office on 01344 484123.

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 05 Aug 10

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