A Midsummer Night's Dream
June 1987
by William Shakespeare, directed by Mary Jones
Cast: Theseus, Duke of Athens - Gordon Halliday Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus - Gillian Yates Egeus, Hermia's father - John Marshall Hermia, in love with Lysander - Diana Lucas Lysander, in love with Hermia - James Pettit Demetrius, in love with Hermia - Jim Orford Helena, in love with Demetrius - Fenny Gill Philostrate, Theseus's Master of the Revels - Cass Thorne Oberon, King of the Fairies - John Palmer Titania, Queen of the Fairies - Margaret Butt Puck, or Robin Goodfellow - Mike Pigott A Fairy, attendant on Titania - Miriam Fishwick Peaseblossom - Lynn Trout Cobweb - Sarah Walker Moth - Carol Pettit Mustardseed - Caroline Jones Other attendants on Oberon and Titania - Jason Petelin, Andrew Pearson & Nicholas Bhanji Peter Quince, a carpenter (Prologue) - Brian Bowker Nick Bottom, a weaver (Pyramus) - Philip Jones Francis Flute, a bellows-mender (Thisbe) - Michael Ellis Tom Snout, a tinker (Wall) - Bryan Stephenson Snug, a joiner (Lion) - Jon Tuckett Robin Starveling, a tailor (Moonshine) - Fred Wannell Recorder played by - Judy Ridgill | Production Team: Director - Mary Jones Stage Manager - Rosemary Whitehurst Set Construction - Mike Trout, David Hopper, John Halliday & Brian Bowker Lighting - Barry Matthews & Keith Palmer Props - Lynn Trout Costumes - Olive Rumford & members of the cast Design - Diana Lucas Poster Design - Chris Scanes Front of House - Ben & Margaret Grimsey Photographs - Don Steven |
Reviews:
From Express & Echo:
...A spankingly good Bottom....
Estuary Players' inventive cocktail
Add a tincture of nectar to a draft of dew, mix in a twist of blossom and you have a fine cocktail to toast Midsummer Night.
It was a tenth anniversary celebration, too, in Topsham last night among good company as the Estuary Players marked their birthday with their first attempt at Shakespeare.
Director Mary Jones may well have dreamt of triumph. And with some deft production trickery, her formula for fairies juggling with mortals' emotions worked a treat.
It is a lovely play, packed with quotations, beautiful prose and verse, and humour which the players delight in exploiting.
A spankingly good Bottom (Philip Jones) leads a troupe of artisan actors who, in a play within a play, work out a comedy-laden cabaret routine that is a feature of the play. Mime, female impersonation, wit - the six put on a display of midsummer madness.
John Palmer as Oberon is outstanding, while Mike Pigott as Puck is an ably athletic associate. Notable on the distaff side are Diana Lucas and Fenny Gill as the chased but very chaste maidens, and Margaret Butt as a teasing Titania with her fetching flutter of fairies.
The set is imaginative, the production inventive. A trio of musicians adds a courtly touch.
Sponsored by Hiley-Payne and Coxwell Investment Management Ltd, the enchanting love story continues at Matthews Hall until Friday with, hopefully, an open-air performance at Grove Hill House on Saturday night.
Photos:
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