GALLERY Shakespeare said the course of true love never did run smooth.And last night's production of one of his most famous plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream, could all have gone terribly wrong too as the rain started to fall on the audience gathered outside Ipswich's Christchurch Mansion.
Rebecca Lefort
SHAKESPEARE said the course of true love never did run smooth.
And last night's production of one of his most famous plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream, could all have gone terribly wrong too as the rain started to fall on the audience gathered outside Ipswich's Christchurch Mansion.
Yet the sheer hilarity of the play and the engaging and accessible way it was presented by its cast of just six actors meant the crowd forgot how wet they were and simply enjoyed the show.
Outdoor theatre always involves a risk of getting soaked, but it also brings with it a feeling of being involved with what is happening on stage because you are physically so close to the action and also experiencing just what the actors are when it comes to the weather. You're all in it together!
There is also a sense of occasion because you're out under the moonlit sky, rather than the usual setting of a theatre. And last night had just that special feel as families tucked into their picnics and sipped their wine while mesmerised by the fantastic story unfolding before them.
Star-crossed lovers fought in a weird and wonderful forest , a band of handymen attempt to put on a play and mischievous fairies, including a wonderfully naughty Puck, caused mayhem for everyone they came across.
It is a bizarre tale told in Shakespearian English, and one that could easily get confusing for young children (or grown adults feeling despondent about miserable weather), yet Heartbreak Productions kept everyone enthralled.
Physical comedy combined with clever sets and simple but effective costumes helped the story progresses towards its very silly end!
The production made Shakespeare accessible and fun and the audience left thinking not about their damp clothes but the great and immensely fun performance they had been treated to.
What did you think of the show? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
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