A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of the most popular plays by William Shakespeare. Vibrant, funny and spectacular, it is frequently staged. It is also thought of a good way to introduce young readers and audiences to Shakespeare. The production by the student group from the Masaryk University shows how the 400-year-old play can engage young contemporary audiences.
The Gypsywood Players first ventured into Shakespeare in 1972 with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and this new version is their fifth Shakespearean production since then. It is not experimental or “avant-garde,” and its only larger purpose is to convince people who think of Shakespeare’s work as a stuffy museum piece that it’s actually great fun. Aiming for clarity and comic impact, in other words, the group hopes to provide something like the same experience that Shakespeare’s own company would have given its original audience. Patrick Broeker, a reviewer who saw this production in Brno in December, wrote: “what was remarkable was the visible and palpable enthusiasm of the troupe. They enjoyed what they were doing. They effectively captured the Bard of Avon’s timeless creation and presented it in such a manner that he would be proud to have his name associated with it. A thoroughly enjoyable night.”
The show will take place on 19 April, starting at 7.30 p.m. in Akademicki Ośrodek Inicjatyw Artystycznych, ul. Zachodnia 54, Łódź
Tickets: gypsywood@phil.muni.cz