The New Rep Theatre Company are proud to be presenting the final play in their inaugural season. As part of the Lambeth Fringe they are bringing back to life William Shakespeare’s fantastical comedy, ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream.’ Shakespeare’s classic tale of humour and magic explores the complexities of love, the power of dreams and the delicate balance between order and chaos, blurring reality and illusion. Enter into the world of magic, fairies and love, where anything can happen and nothing is as it seems.
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| David Knight and Charlotte Hunter |
Hermia and Lysander are deeply in love, but Hermia’s father wants her to marry Demetrius, who is loved by her friend Helena. Hermia and Lysander flee to the woods, followed by Demetrius and Helena. Meanwhile a group of artisans, or ‘mechanicals’ head to the wood to rehearse a play.
Unknown to them, the wood is a magical realm ruled by Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the fairies who’ve been arguing. Oberon commands his mischief-maker, Puck, to play a trick on the Queen but Pucks magic goes awry as mischievous spells and love potions cause mayhem in the affairs of the mortals.
We caught up with director David Knight and assistant director Charlotte Hunter to learn more.
What can you tell me about this production of A Midsummer Night's Dream?
David- Some of our company performed A Midsummer Night's Dream in our 2nd year at Italia Conti. This is a spiritual continuation of the work we did then, but with a new cast. It is directed by myself and we have worked with Richard Pepper the original director to bring together the ideas we had then and update and reshape them to suit this new cast. It is a production that puts the story first and draws on many devices, such as live sound effects and music to bring the story as close as we can to the audience. There is something very magical about the Dream, especially when the lovers enter the forest. When you hear the spells and verse being spoken in those scenes you really do feel like something is being summoned, especially when it is done right. We have tried to honour that feeling as a through line, so this play really does feel like a dream.
David- Some of our company performed A Midsummer Night's Dream in our 2nd year at Italia Conti. This is a spiritual continuation of the work we did then, but with a new cast. It is directed by myself and we have worked with Richard Pepper the original director to bring together the ideas we had then and update and reshape them to suit this new cast. It is a production that puts the story first and draws on many devices, such as live sound effects and music to bring the story as close as we can to the audience. There is something very magical about the Dream, especially when the lovers enter the forest. When you hear the spells and verse being spoken in those scenes you really do feel like something is being summoned, especially when it is done right. We have tried to honour that feeling as a through line, so this play really does feel like a dream.
What inspired you to both want to stage a version of it?
David- The ensemble nature of the 2023 production, with all of the live elements and music, felt like a show that belonged at a Fringe Festival. When we planned this season of shows and worked out that we could programme something to line up with the Lambeth Fringe we knew it would be the perfect opportunity to do this show again with a new cast and a new set of ideas and inspirations.
David- The ensemble nature of the 2023 production, with all of the live elements and music, felt like a show that belonged at a Fringe Festival. When we planned this season of shows and worked out that we could programme something to line up with the Lambeth Fringe we knew it would be the perfect opportunity to do this show again with a new cast and a new set of ideas and inspirations.
With a play like this which has been staged hundreds of times, how do you approach bringing your own unique visions to the piece?
David - I think our Midsummer Night's Dream welcomes audiences in. It feels like a true escape from reality, we hope the music and effects in the show create something unique, we want people to leave feeling as though they have seen something that was made just for them. In many ways this is true, all of the design elements of the show change every night, and so the show is alive and fresh for every audience member.
David - I think our Midsummer Night's Dream welcomes audiences in. It feels like a true escape from reality, we hope the music and effects in the show create something unique, we want people to leave feeling as though they have seen something that was made just for them. In many ways this is true, all of the design elements of the show change every night, and so the show is alive and fresh for every audience member.
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| The cast in rehearsals. |
You condense the piece into 90 minutes, how do you choose what to include and what to not?David- It’s always the question of what serves the story? We interrogate what we want to say, and then we make sure that is what the language is saying. It’s always a balance between trimming the excess around a certain speech or scene, and not loosing the sense of the fantastic writing that is in the original text. Of course actors always find a speech or a line they love and will want back in and we always want to put those back in. With this versions we took Richard Peppers adapted version from our original production at Italia Conti and then began to work back in those specific lines or speeches which suited this new cast.
What was the first piece of theatre you saw that had a big impact on you?
Charlotte - I have a distinct memory of watching Griff Rhys Jones and Kerry Ellis in Oliver! At Theatre Royal Drury Lane, when I was about six or seven. I remember the scale of the show just absolutely blew me away - to my child self, it seemed like there were hundreds of people on the stage! I have always been drawn to large ensemble pieces and working with large casts, and the early musicals I saw in my childhood definitely contributed to that. I was raised on Les Mis and Phantom!
Charlotte - I have a distinct memory of watching Griff Rhys Jones and Kerry Ellis in Oliver! At Theatre Royal Drury Lane, when I was about six or seven. I remember the scale of the show just absolutely blew me away - to my child self, it seemed like there were hundreds of people on the stage! I have always been drawn to large ensemble pieces and working with large casts, and the early musicals I saw in my childhood definitely contributed to that. I was raised on Les Mis and Phantom!
When did you know that theatre was the career for you?
David- I think it’s a developing sense, I have plenty of days where I feel absolutely useless or void of any creativity. I follow my nose and look for the doors that open and I’ve been very lucky to keep finding a place in theatre and the arts in general. What keeps me going is the overwhelming sense of joy and excitement every time we get to put one of these shows together, the passion and creativity in our rehearsal rooms always makes me feel like I’m in the right job.
David- I think it’s a developing sense, I have plenty of days where I feel absolutely useless or void of any creativity. I follow my nose and look for the doors that open and I’ve been very lucky to keep finding a place in theatre and the arts in general. What keeps me going is the overwhelming sense of joy and excitement every time we get to put one of these shows together, the passion and creativity in our rehearsal rooms always makes me feel like I’m in the right job.
What gives you inspiration?
Charlotte- it’s always the people. I am awful at working by myself and I crave being around as many creatives as possible when making a show. I think the ideas you can create when bouncing off like-minded people are almost unlimited. This company in particular are such a close-knit group of performers, and seeing them take on any and every role needed to make the production stronger is fantastic. For the hippie take we have on this play to work authentically, the cast need to have a natural chemistry, and there was no work needed to be done on our part here!
Charlotte- it’s always the people. I am awful at working by myself and I crave being around as many creatives as possible when making a show. I think the ideas you can create when bouncing off like-minded people are almost unlimited. This company in particular are such a close-knit group of performers, and seeing them take on any and every role needed to make the production stronger is fantastic. For the hippie take we have on this play to work authentically, the cast need to have a natural chemistry, and there was no work needed to be done on our part here!
David- Whenever I am fortunate enough to see the work of another Fringe company or speak to artist working within Fringe theatre they always inspire me. I love seeing the wide ranging and fantastically differs shows that so many venues put on all year round. It reminds me how limitless the possibilities in what we can make are.
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| The cast in rehearals |
What would hope an audience member takes away from seeing this version of A Midsummer Night's Dream?
David- Always a hard question because the honest answer is whatever they’d like, or even less specific “something”. I would like our audience to feel in some way changed or moved by what they have seen, I would like them to feel as though they were seeing a play, though old, that felt like it was being performed for the first time, that was fresh and alive whilst also respecting the strong traditions the writing comes from. I would hope that feeling would perhaps spark a new or connect with an already existing love for classical theatre.
David- Always a hard question because the honest answer is whatever they’d like, or even less specific “something”. I would like our audience to feel in some way changed or moved by what they have seen, I would like them to feel as though they were seeing a play, though old, that felt like it was being performed for the first time, that was fresh and alive whilst also respecting the strong traditions the writing comes from. I would hope that feeling would perhaps spark a new or connect with an already existing love for classical theatre.
Charlotte- Echoing what David said, I particular hope it gives classical theatre a sense of relevance for younger generations. I come from a very traditional background when it comes to Shakespeare, having studied English Literature at university. Being able to just be in a room with this script and truly have fun with it has been so refreshing and rewarding, and I feel we have a fresh and new take on this iconic play. I hope people are able to see this on stage - this sense of fun and wonder that Shakespeare was so brilliantly able to conjure in his words. It would be amazing for a young person to have this play be their gateway into Shakespeare
Where can audience see the show?
A Midsummer Night’s Dream plays at the Golden Goose Theatre from the 23 - 27 September. Shows are at 7pm, with a Saturday Matinee at 3pm.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream plays at the Golden Goose Theatre from the 23 - 27 September. Shows are at 7pm, with a Saturday Matinee at 3pm.
Tickets for A Midsummer Night's Dream are available from https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-midsummer-nights-dream-tickets-1520266310459
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| The cast in rehearsals. |
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