Set against the ruins of Stafford Castle, it was supposed to be the perfect backdrop for one of Shakespeare's most loved comedies. But as the grey skies loomed, it seemed more fitting for a performance of The Tempest than A Midsummer Night's Dream.
That said, the wet and slightly muddy cast pulled off a spectacular performance on the opening night of Stafford Festival Shakespeare.
The production, which took a year to put together, threaded together the ludicrous nature of love with some of Shakespeare's best slapstick comedy – including a very well cast Eric Potts as the main comic relief of Bottom the weaver.
The former Coronation Street man had the audience onside almost from his first line.
His overbearing interpretation of Bottom, complete with a broad Lancashire accent, set the comic pace of the show while his quips about the drizzle only added to the merriment.
The plot of A Midsummer Night's Dream sees two worlds collide as meddling fairies use a love potion to trick two Athenean suitors into falling in love with the same unsuspecting maid.
That said, the wet and slightly muddy cast pulled off a spectacular performance on the opening night of Stafford Festival Shakespeare.
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| Copyright Darren Thomas |
The 23rd production by Stafford Gatehouse Theatre was brought to life by the same successful creative team as last year's Romeo and Juliet. This time, they made use of the up-lit castle as the perfect backdrop – leaving the windy paths up to the top of the mount in full view.
The production, which took a year to put together, threaded together the ludicrous nature of love with some of Shakespeare's best slapstick comedy – including a very well cast Eric Potts as the main comic relief of Bottom the weaver.
His overbearing interpretation of Bottom, complete with a broad Lancashire accent, set the comic pace of the show while his quips about the drizzle only added to the merriment.
The plot of A Midsummer Night's Dream sees two worlds collide as meddling fairies use a love potion to trick two Athenean suitors into falling in love with the same unsuspecting maid.
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| Copyright Darren Thomas |
The unlikely tangle of lovers Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius was played out to perfection on the raised meadow set, with both female leads impressing.
Director Peter Rowe has said: "A Midsummer Night's Dream is a beautiful play about illusion and reality and how close being in love is to being mad." This certainly rang true as Helena, played by Georgina White, clung to Lysander's leg and declared "make me your spaniel".
King of the fairies Oberon played a strong part dressed in a black cloak woven with poison ivy and a turquoise and blue tunic.
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| Copyright Darren Thomas |
However, for me it was the mischievous Puck who outshone his fellow actors and actresses as he nimble-footed across the stage with the love potion. He was both captivating and convincing in the role and delivered a great soliloquy swathed in mist towards the end of the night. Spell-binding.
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