A Midsummer Night’s Dream @ExeterCollege

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare in 1595/96. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta (the former queen of the Amazons). These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors (the mechanicals) who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set.

In this ever-popular comedy, a quartet of mismatched lovers, a company of hapless actors and malicious sprites cross paths with the King and Queen of the fairies, entangled in their own domestic dispute. Audiences will be transported to a tainted supernatural forest overflowing with possibilities where the unexplainable magic of falling in love – and the marvel of waking up from the sweetest of dreams – is discovered.

Chaos, confusion, trickery and skulduggery reign in this fresh, joyful, accessible and memorable interpretation of the nation’s favourite play.

Imaginative contemporary design, wondrous music and vibrant movement breathe new life into a new modern retelling of Shakespeare’s unforgettable story. Inspired by the multi-cultural world that we reside in today this current and fresh production celebrates diversity, spirit and the power of story.

Over the last two years our UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma Performing Arts’ students have been developing skills in acting, singing and movement. Today’s performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the culmination of our students’ time with us at Exeter College within the Drama and Performing Arts department.

Each year the final major project enables the Drama and Performing Arts Section an invaluable opportunity to deliver a genuine vocational experience.

It provides them with an invaluable experience of working alongside professional freelance designers, as well as other performance/ production students from different tutor groups and courses. It then further demands that they are available for technical and dress rehearsals that can last up 12 hours. Finally the learners get to the opportunity to perform to a paying audience over a week long performance run.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been a fantastic teaching and learning vehicle for the company this year. It has allowed us to consolidate and further explore acting, movement and voice. At the core of the piece of our interpretation is the power and purpose of ensemble. It’s been a fantastic process to see our first years working with our final year students.”

Nige Paul – Head of Section Drama and Performing Arts
UAL Level 3 Performing and Production Arts Co-ordinator

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is running on:

• Wednesday 15th May @ 7.30pm
• Thursday 16th May @ 2pm & 7.30pm
• Friday 17th May @ 7.30pm
• Saturday 18th May @ 7.30pm
• Sunday 19th May @ 2pm