A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Bristol Old Vic company production
Cast & Crew
Cast
Cobweb | Alan Coveney |
---|---|
Demetrius | Gregory Martyn |
Egeus | John Boswall |
Fairy, attendant on Oberon | Craig Gaddas |
Fairy, attendant on Oberon | Brad Lavelle |
Fairy, attendant on Oberon | Keith Taylor |
Fairy, attendant on Oberon | Chris Wright |
Francis Flute, a bellows-mender | Mark Buffery |
Helena | Louise Jameson |
Hermia, daughter to Egeus | Caroline Holdaway |
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons | Janet Amsden |
Lysander | John Telfer |
Moth | Julia Hills |
Mustardseed | Carl Halling |
Nick Bottom, a weaver | Clive Wood |
Oberon | Robert O’Mahoney |
Peaseblossom | Andrew Bicknell |
Peter Quince | David Foxxe |
Philostrate | Daniel Day-Lewis |
Puck | Nickolas Grace |
Robin Starveling | Clive Wouters |
Snug, a joiner | Timothy Turnbull |
Theseus, Duke of Athens | Andrew Hilton |
Titania, Queen of the Fairies | Meg Davies |
Tom Snout, a tinker | Brian Southwood |
Crew | |
Assistant Stage Manager | Riccardo Pellizzeri |
Choreography | Lynn Britt |
Company Stage Manager | Colin Butler |
Costume Designer | Bob Ringwood |
Deputy Stage Manager | Maggie Mackay |
Director | Richard Cottrell |
Head Painter | Jane Cooke |
Lighting | John A Williams |
Master Carpenter | Michael Phillips |
Mens’ Tailor | Terry Milton |
Music (Composer) | John Telfer |
Production Manager | Peter Bailey |
Property Master | Christopher Gunning |
Set Designer | Bob Crowley |
Sound | Craig Neil |
Wardrobe Supervisor | Katrina Hackett |
- Observations (1)
- Source: University of Bristol Theatre Collection
- Last modified by Michael Hope.
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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.
Photo credits
Observations
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I played Mustardseed in this magnificent production by Richard Cottrell in early 1980 alongside one of the most gifted and charismatic casts imaginable, as anyone scanning the list of actors will surely agree. It moved from the Bristol to the London Old Vic Theatre in the summer, where it continued to attract the most enthusiastic reviews, and rightfully so.
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