24 SEPTEMBER - 3 OCTOBER 2020 NEW DATES ADDED!
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM is Shakespeare’s best loved comedy. Four young lovers who find themselves lost in a mystical wood populated by warring fairies, mischievous sprites and an earnest group of amateur actors, one of whom seems to have grown a donkey’s head…
Following the phenomenal success of our online live shows in May and June, we're teaming up with one of the North-West’s premier producing theatres, Octagon Theatre, Bolton, to bring another live theatre show into the living-rooms of audiences North and South.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be an especial adaptation of our 2017 open air production. This show, set in 1967 Guildford and directed by LOTTE WAKEHAM, took our audiences to a brand new venue, hidden in the very heart of the town centre, Racks Close. A show survey revealed that an incredible 76% of audience members had never set foot in the former chalk quarry or even new it existed! Into this little green oasis we brought Bottom, Puck and our traditional sense of fun and invention.
Lotte, who is now the Artistic Director of Octagon Theatre, Bolton, returns to direct this online version.
PRAISE FOR 2017's A Midsummer Night's Dream
★★★★★ “This ‘Dream’ is a masterpiece of fun, invention and imaginative comic business.” Essential Surrey
★★★★★ "Quite brilliant, I would never miss one of GSC’s comedies" Londontheatre1.com
★★★★ "Infectious humour and feel-good optimism" The Stage
MATT PINCHES, GSC Co-Founder: “Our especially made online events have proved incredibly popular and it has been joyous to see families and friends able to come together to share a live experience in these toughest of times. We desperately wanted to stage a Shakespeare play in this format and Dream, with its accessible story line, beautiful speeches and laugh-out-loud comedy, was an obvious choice. Lotte had directed a truly magical show for us in 2017 and so it seemed a natural union to make with Bolton. Two theatres, working together for their communities whilst sharing new ideas and best practices, was an opportunity not to be missed.”
LOTTE WAKEHAM, Artistic Director of the Octagon: “I’m delighted to be collaborating with Guildford Shakespeare Company again, who truly are experts in this field of Zoom productions. I’m also very excited to be working with a brilliant cast of northern and southern actors, who I’m confident will provide a magical evening of entertainment for our audiences.”
CREATIVE TEAM
Director and adaptor – Lotte Wakeham
Sound designer and composer – Matt Eaton
Fight Director – Philip d'Orléans
Assistant Director – Francesca Tennant
GSC Company Stage Manager & Virtual Backgrounds Creator Beth Mann
This new online production is inspired by Andrew Riley’s original set and costumes designs for our 2017 outdoor production, which also had original sound design by Andy Graham.
COMPANY
