A Midsummer Night’s Dream
At the start of the season Audrey Seed played Cobweb. From August 13 the part was played by Doone Bingeman.
Cast & Crew
Cast
Bottom | Anthony Quayle |
---|---|
Cobweb | Doone Bingeman |
Cobweb | Audrey Seed |
Demetrius | Basil Hoskins |
Egeus | Geoffrey Bayldon |
Fairy | Jean Morley |
Flute | Ian Bannen |
Helena | Barbara Jefford |
Hermia | Zena Walker |
Hippolyta | Jean Wilson |
Lysander | Tony Britton |
Moth | Jill Cary |
Mustardseed | Alexandra Jack |
Oberon | Powys Thomas |
Peaseblossom | Annette Apcar |
Philostrate | Edward Atienza |
Puck | David O’Brien |
Quince | Leo McKern |
Snout | James Grout |
Snug | Mervyn Blake |
Starveling | Peter Duguid |
Theseus | Keith Michell |
Titania | Muriel Pavlow |
Unnamed parts | Jan Bashford |
Unnamed parts | Beverley Cross |
Unnamed parts | David King |
Unnamed parts | Kevin Miles |
Unnamed parts | Timothy Parkes |
Unnamed parts | Donald Pickering |
Unnamed parts | John Turner |
Unnamed parts | James Villiers |
Unnamed parts | Frank Waters |
Crew | |
Choreographer | Pauline Grant |
Designer | Motley |
Director | George Devine |
Light Designer | Peter Streuli |
Music by | Roberto Gerhard |
Playwright | William Shakespeare |
- Source: RSC Performance Database
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Photographs
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Play description
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a classic and much loved text by William Shakespeare. Written around the late 1500s, like most Shakespearean texts, A Midsummer Night’s Dream stands the test of time; the narrative is almost timeless and it is still performed regularly to this day.
The story is about four Athenian “lovers” who are all in love with one another; Hermia and Lysander are in love but Hermia’s farther, Egeus, wants her to marry Demetrius who also loves her. Left behind is poor Helena, who has a deep and unrequited love for Demetrius. As Hermia and Lysander run away together to a nearby forest on the eve of a big Athenian wedding between Theseus and Hippolyta. Demetrius follows the object of his affection, as does Helena.
Chaos ensues as the escaped lovers are set upon by magical forces dwelling in the woods. As a result of a magic potion, the lovers fall for different women.
Also affected by the mischevious woodland spirits are “the Mechanicals”, labourers from Athens who are practicing a play for the royal Athenian wedding.
Hilarity, sexuality and desire are key themes in this whimsical text by Shakespeare.
Observations
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