A Modern Take On A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Cygnet Players to perform William Shakespeare's most popular comedy
Cygnet Players are performing a modern re-telling of William Shakespeare’s most popular comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The production runs from Wednesday, 18 May to Saturday, 21 May 2016 at St Barnabas Church, Lavenham Road, Southfields, SW18 5EP. Performances are nightly at 7.45pm with a 2.30pm Saturday matinee.
Hermia loves Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. To escape the arranged marriage, she and Lysander elope into the woods, followed by Demetrius – and he is pursued by Helena, who nurses an unrequited passion for him. They cross paths with Oberon, the fairy king - and the mischievous Puck, whose attempts to resolve the conflicted love quadrangle lead to humour, confusion and a night the lovers will not forget… or will they?
Meanwhile, a troupe of amateur actors rehearse a play in the woods for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Athens – but soon find themselves disturbed by the deeds of Puck and the consequences of a quarrel between Oberon and his Queen, Titania.
With 2016 being the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, Cygnets feel it is the perfect time to celebMay 4, 2016f his most beloved plays - their production retains Shakespeare’s iconic language but updates the setting and the characters to portray aspects of contemporary England. “With its entangled lovers, its rude mechanicals and its devious fairies there is something for everyone in A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, says director Phoebe Fleetham. “But being such a well-known play poses its own problems - how do you take a play that has been done in every style imaginable and do something new with it? You do it with Cygnet Players.”
“It is a pleasure to be directing Cygnets’ first Shakespeare performance, with such a hugely passionate and creative cast. They have taken this play and are making it their own, embracing the comedy and ridiculousness of the story lines and my wild and wacky ideas and always giving it 100%. I want to create a performance that will have the audience in stitches - and this cast is delivering!”
This work is widely performed around the world, and no wonder - it's about the world's most popular pastime, falling in love. But as Puck knows, falling in love can make fools of us all…
May 4, 2016