A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
by William Shakespeare

Performed by Chapterhouse Theatre Company
The Grand Theatre, St Leonardgate, Lancaster
One night only – Tuesday 21 October 2003 at 7.30 pm

Reviewed by

Clogs, codpieces and kids

"A brilliant audience'
The audience for this performance of Shakespeare's early comedy was mostly drawn from the local schools, with youngsters from around eight up to late teens. This is "brilliant' in itself, as a certain Rev MacRitchie noted of Lancaster audiences in 1795, since it always heartening to see youngsters at the theatre, and particularly so when Shakespeare is the bill of fare. Good for the Lancaster Grand for taking this one on.

Chapterhouse Theatre Company needs no introduction in these columns after their stunning season this summer in Williamson Park (Click here to read the reviews). They have lost nothing of their exuberance, energy or sensitivity to the text in their autumn tour, and director Karen Crow (who took a cameo part as, appropriately, Philostrate, Master of the Revels) has turned up trumps again with her approach which is at once scholarly, fecund and – simply - filthy.

Dreamlike playing
It was good to see three of the company's stars-to-be on first-class form again: Richard Baker (Flute/ Thisbe/ Mustardseed), Alec Fellows-Bennett (Puck) and Philip Stevens (Snug/ Lion). But that is not to denigrate or sideline the rest of the cast – all played unstintingly well both as individuals and as an ensemble. It was not an easy feat taking their tour to Lancaster's Grand Theatre; I was told the size of the stage only allowed half their set to go up, and Tuesday's performance required substantial technical adjustments before they went on.

Visual excitements
The performance was cut to ensure it ran within 2 ½ hours with an interval. Among the visual features were clogdancing (a good local pastime), courtly love and Northern accents. This is quite right as Shakespeare is believed to have spent some of his ‘lost years' locally at Houghton near Preston in the service of the Earl of Derby. It is their family nuptials the play that Dream thought to have been performed in 1595.

The dramatists' bawdry was intelligently highlighted by the ubiquitous codpieces, "archers' fingers' (V-signs to you and me), visually ambiguous sexuality and lovers' tiffs. The "rude mechanicals' in the spoof ‘Pyramus and Thisbe', evinced some of the most energetic and funniest playing of Shakespeare I have ever seen.

The music also added to the total dramatic experience. Most of the cast sang, in ensemble, chorus or in recitative, which was especially effective when the numerous spells were being cast (or unwoven). There is an excellent CD of evocative and imaginative music from Dream and other Chapterhouse Shakespeare productions. You can get it direct from the company, and £2 of the £12 it costs goes to Children in Need. Check out www.chapterhouse.org/pages/CD.html.

Young enthusiasm
None of all this was lost on the youngsters in the audience. They were clearly, and audibly, entranced from curtain-up to the rapturous ovation at the end. They picked up on every single gesture, movement, line and twist of the plot (or plots) whether rude or not, and rewarded the performers with gusts of enchanted laughter and more spontaneous clapping than you often hear in other theatres.

Those who would sideline ‘old-fashioned, classical' learning in favour of more liberal curricula or artistic diet should take heed here. "It's good to hear children laugh so much', said one (not so young) woman in the bar at the interval. Youngsters rarely laugh at the television, in the cinema or at videos at home, and certainly not at McDonalds. I wonder why?

Double success
The reasons are not hard to find. First, Dream is a timeless piece containing all the traditional elements of folklore and storytelling throughout the ages and across global culture. Fairies, kings and queens, lovers, peasants and the workers play out their tale of confusion, magic and romance– until all is/are finally swept back into reality by Puck's magic broom.

On top of that, Chapterhouse is one of the foremost among many excellent touring Shakespeare companies that visit places that don't usually get it. They quickly established a good rapport with the mostly young audience. This is a very rare and enviable quality.

"Brilliant' all round
So, the Grand Theatre (‘please, miss, when are we going again?') and Chapterhouse have won over the hearts and minds of many young people in Lancaster and the surrounding area. "I don't think there's a nicer sound than children laughing', our companion in the interval said. She was right.

Theatre managers everywhere – take note. Lancaster, watch out for this group on the road next summer with the Dream again, and As You Like It. Chapterhouse, well done (again). Well done the Grand – make sure you have them back – and keep bringing the youngsters in.

Copyright © 23 October 2003