A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Iris Guillaume played the part of Hippolyta for the first performances, Irma Angelo took over the part later in the season.
Cast & Crew
Cast
Bottom | Roy Byford |
---|---|
Demetrius | Neil Porter |
Egeus | Eric Maxon |
Fairy 1 | Patricia Hayes |
Flute | Dennis Roberts |
Helena | Dorothy Black |
Hermia | Gwynne Whitby |
Hippolyta | Irma Angelo |
Hippolyta | Iris Guillaume |
Lysander | Norman Wooland |
Oberon | John Wyse |
Philostrate | C Rivers Gadsby |
Puck | John Denis |
Quince | Kenneth Wicksteed |
Snout | Stephen Brocas |
Snug | Pat Peirson |
Starveling | Gerald Kay Souper |
Theseus | Stanley Howlett |
Titania | Rachel Kempson |
Crew | |
Designer | Norman Wilkinson |
Director | W Bridges-Adams |
Music by | Anthony Bernard |
Playwright | William Shakespeare |
- Source: RSC Performance Database
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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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