A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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 to the London Old Vic in the summer, where it continued to attract the most enthusiastic reviews, and rightfully so.
Cast & Crew
Cast
Bottom | Clive Wood |
---|---|
Cobweb | Alan Coveney |
Demetrius | Gregory Martyn |
Egeus | John Boswall |
Fairy | Craig Gaddas |
Fairy | Brad Lavelle |
Fairy | Keith Taylor |
Fairy | Chris Wright |
Francis Flute, a bellows-mender | Mark Buffery |
Helena | Louise Jameson |
Hermia | Caroline Holdaway |
Hippolyta | Jane Galloway |
Lysander | John Telfer |
Moth | Julia Hills |
Mustardseed | Carl Halling |
Oberon | Robert O’Mahoney |
Peaseblossom | Andrew Bicknell |
Peter Quince | David Foxxe |
Philostrate | Daniel Day-Lewis |
Puck | Nickolas Grace |
Robin Starveling | Clive Wouters |
Snug | Timothy Turnball |
Theseus | Andrew Hilton |
Titania | Meg Davies |
Tom Snout | Brian Southwood |
Crew | |
Composer | John Telfer |
Designer | Bob Crowley |
Director | Richard Cottrell |
- Observations (2)
- Source: University of Bristol Theatre Collection
- Last modified by Michael Hope.
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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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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 to the London Old Vic in the summer, where it continued to attract the most enthusiastic reviews, and rightfully so.
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I saw this production in both Bristol and London, it was that good!
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