Last year the swanky new Bridge Theatre near London Bridge had a massive hit with an immersive production of JULIUS CAESAR in which part of the audience walked amongst the action. I didn’t see it but apparently it was a thrilling experience to watch or participate in.
The creative team, led by super star director Nicholas Hytner, who used to run the National Theatre, is reuniting to present a follow up production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at the same venue from June 3rd.
The principal remains the same. When you book you can choose a walk-about (immersive) ticket or a conventional seat.
Apparently “The theatre becomes the forest – a dream world of flying fairies, contagious fogs and moonlight revels. The seating is wrapped around the action while the immersive tickets allow the story to be followed on foot”.
If you don’t know the play it's set on the night before the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta. As darkness falls across a neighbouring forest the king and queen of fairyland squabble whilst two courtier couples elope and a group of amateur actors rehearse a play for the royal wedding. Everyone gets muddled up in the moonlight before harmony is restored at daybreak. It’s considered to be Shakespeare’s lightest, funniest and most enjoyable comedy.
There’s a great cast announced too –
Paul Adeyefa (Demetrius), Hammed Animashaun (Bottom), Charlotte Atkinson (Moth), Tessa Bonham Jones (Helena), Oliver Chris (Oberon/Theseus), Gwendoline Christie (Titania/Hippolyta), Jermaine Freeman (Flute), Isis Hainsworth (Hermia), Chipo Kureya (Peasebottom), Francis Lovehall (Starveling), Kevin McMonagle (Egeus), Ami Metcalf (Snout), Jamie-Rose Monk (Snug), Felicity Montagu (Quince), David Moorst (Puck), Lennin Nelson-McClure (Mustardseed), Rachel Tolzman (Fairy), Jay Webb (Cobweb) and Kit Young (Lysander).
As a Game of Thrones fan I'm particularly excited that Gwendoline Christie who is best known for portraying Brienne of Tarth in the TV show is to play Titania, the fairy queen.
The press release reminds us that her other credits include “Dr Faustus and Mirandolina at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Breakfast at Tiffany’s at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, Cymbeline at the Barbican Theatre, Pravda for Chichester Festival Theatre and Great Expectations for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
On television Christie’s credits also include Top of the Lake: China Girl by Jane Campion. Her film credits include Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2, In Fabric by Peter Strickland, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie as well as the forthcoming production of The Personal History of David Copperfield by Armando Ianucci”.
If you’re interested in contemporary dance theatre then you’ll be excited to learn of a series of events and performances celebrating the legacy of choreographer Merce Cunningham at the Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS.