As Creation prepares to bring A Midsummer Night’s Dream to Oxford’s Wolfson College for a five-week run this summer, rehearsals are in full swing for the village fete style welcome that awaits.
Being performed in their stunning show tent – which provides shade from the sun and protection from the rain – Shakespeare’s classic comedy will play out on the vast cricket pitch with Lysander and Demetrius greeting you in cricket whites.
Tickets include a seat and picnic tickets include a rug so bring your family and friends and prepare to immerse yourself in a quintessentially English setting, where fairies await, mischief lurks, romance blossoms, and the bar is open.
Because regardless of the high jinks, true love never runs smooth, and that’s certainly true in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as magic and mayhem reign supreme. “There has been so much hilarity in rehearsals because it’s so silly, joyful and funny,” Helen Eastman, Creation’s artistic director explains.
“And there are so many elements to enjoy – the fairies causing chaos, the enchanted lovers, the mechanicals staging their ill-conceived play and some of Shakespeare’s most famous lines, but it all comes together, the fairies just emerging from the trees.”
So why A Midsummer Night’s Dream? “We wanted to bring something multi-generational, suitable for everyone, from grandparents to children,” Helen says. “Last year we produced two plays, but this year we are throwing all our resources into A Midsummer Night’s Dream, so we are giving it a real festival feel to make it even more fun.
“And all the cast is phenomenally talented – the six multi-rolling, multi-instrumental actors having to change costumes really rapidly, speeding up as the plot develops, so it’s really entertaining. And there’s also some fabulous live music with phenomenal singers – although at the moment we’re just trying to keep our actors cool during the heatwave” Helen laughs.
“It’s genuinely funny and we’ve given it a fresh approach to make sure our A Midsummer Night’s Dream appeals to everyone. The only missing piece now is the audience. So bring a picnic, visit the bar and join in with the games and the laughs, because we have a riotous and joyous night in store for you,” Helen promises.
“And there is a cèilidh at the end, so we hope everyone will get up and dance. We want it to be a night to remember.”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, July 16-August 16, Wolfson College Sports Ground, Oxford. Book here https://creationtheatre.co.uk/show/midsummer/
