Summer is the Time for Comedy
Thursday 25th June, 1.45pm
Celebrities in Shakespeare, it seems, is a pretty big deal.
Reactions to a celeb being cast in any Shakespearean role are always fascinating. Some people hardly react at all because they’d see the production either way. Others delight in their favourite TV personalities having a crack at “proper” acting, while some do that baffling outrage thing, all harsh words and infuriatingly superior attitudes.
We could spend forever poring over every last little comment regarding celebs in Shakespeare but honestly, I can’t be bothered. I won’t be seeing the Donmar’s Hamlet, not because I don’t think Jude Law could play the lead convincingly but because I’ve had my fill of Shakespearean melancholy.
This summer I’m far more interested in a considerably lower-profile production, Shakespeare’s Globe’s touring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Firstly, it’s my favourite Shakespearean piece, secondly, it’s actually fun!
We’ve had Hamlet coming out of our ears recently and Othello starring Lenny Henry is on its way to London. Othello is hardly the most upbeat story, interesting, but not fun by any stretch of the imagination. Not to say I won’t be seeing Othello, I just fancy a break from the heavy stuff.
It’s summer, it’s beautiful outside and Shakespeare’s Globe’s travelling production will be performed outdoors in the balmy summer evening air. It can’t only be me who sees this as a far more appropriate way to perform Shakespeare in these few precious sunny weeks?
The time for gloomy Danish castles and the vengeful intentions of jealous lovers is surely winter?
Don’t get me wrong I’m all for a bit of gloom and doom on stage but this is England and we get what, 16 weeks of nice weather a year? What better way to celebrate those fleeting weeks than getting outdoors with a picnic and watching the antics of the king and queen of fairies, a troop of bumbling actors and of course, a pair of lovers.
I implore you, try and make it to see this tour. You’ll not regret it.
Tour dates:
Bristol, Ashton Court: 23–28 June
Maidstone, Leeds Castle: 30 June–5 July
West Sussex, Parnham House:? 7 July
London, Shakespeare’s Globe: 8–11 July
East Sussex, Herstmonceux Castle: 13-14 July
Taunton, Hestercombe Gardens: 15–18 July
Cornwall, Minack Theatre: 20–24 July
Essex, Hedingham Castle: 27-28 July
Poland, Gdansk: ?31 July–6 August
Austria, Art Carnuntum Festival: 8-9 August
Canterbury, St Augustine’s Abbey: 2-16 August
Yorkshire, Ripon, Newby Hall: ?18-19 August
Yorkshire, Richmond, Georgian Theatre: ?20-23 August
Cambridge, Emmanuel College: 25-30 August
Glamorgan, St Donats: 31 August
