No question, the work that comes to mind when we think of Shakespeare and summer is – naturally – A Midsummer Night’s Dream! This was the first play that the original Shakespeare For Our Children troupe performed, over 30 years ago; and as such, it holds a very special place in the history of the program. Over the course of that summer, we held daily rehearsals, made props and costumes, and fostered an overall feeling of camaraderie and goodwill that defined the spirit of SFOC for future generations.
It will come as no surprise, then, that A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a favourite in our blogs and teaching resources! We’ve explored the magic of Puck’s epilogue and the value of Philostrate’s speech for actors just beginning their on-stage journey; we’ve examined romantic misunderstandings in the play and, in practical terms, costuming and character-related theatre games for building trust between actors.
With midsummer almost here, we invite you to revisit these posts and see if there are ways to bring some enchantment to these lovely, long days with your children. Take it from us: Shakespeare will make this a summer to remember.