Shakespeare In The Squares Comes To Wandsworth This Summer
See A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Royal Victoria Patriotic Building
Above: the cast of As You Like It, last year's Shakespeare in the Squares production
Shakespeare in the Squares today announced its annual production – A Midsummer Night’s Dream – which will play across London, opening up the city’s glorious private squares and gardens. Directed by Tatty Hennessy, the production runs from 19 June to 11 July, with a performances in the Royal Victoria Patriotic Building on July 7th and 9th.
Shakespeare’s wild play of love and magic is transplanted to 1920s Britain, a country bruised by battle and economic hardship where our lovers chafe against the constraints and conventions of an older generation and seek to find freedom in the forest. There they stumble upon a riotous world untouched by time, still revelling in illusion. Moonlight suffuses this drama, bringing romance and a touch of madness – even in an oppressive world, all manner of things can happen under cover of night.
Sue Fletcher and Martin Neild, founders of Shakespeare in the Squares, said, “We have been waiting to produce A Midsummer Night’s Dream since starting Shakespeare in the Squares four years ago, it is a story so well suited to the beautiful gardens and parks we visit. This well-loved play is often performed, and we wanted to be sure we could offer a fresh perspective. So when Tatty shared her unique vision of magic, madness and circus, we knew the time had come to bring it to life in London’s squares and gardens both familiar and new.”
Tatty Hennessy is an award-winning playwright, dramaturg and director. She continues her collaboration with Shakespeare in the Squares with A Midsummer Night’s Dream following her productions of As You Like It and Romeo and Juliet in previous years. Her directing credits include her own adaptation of The Snow Queen (Theatre N16), a revival of her first play All That Lives (Ovalhouse Theatre) and Acorn (The Courtyard Theatre). Hennessy was the Baylis Assistant Director at The Old Vic in 2018, where she assisted on Max Webster’s production of Fanny & Alexander. As a writer she won the Heretic Voices competition in 2017 with her play A Hundred Words for Snow, which received an acclaimed production at the Arcola Theatre in 2018 and is currently playing at Trafalgar Studios.
ABOUT SHAKESPEARE IN THE SQUARES
Founded by Sue Fletcher and Martin Neild in 2016, Shakespeare in the Squares is a not-for-profit touring theatre company that stages a Shakespeare play across London squares and parks every summer. The productions are tailored to the individual garden squares, and the company works with the garden committees and other local organisations to create a unique community celebration around the play. The company aims to provide a showcase for talented young theatre practitioners and to introduce audiences to the stars of the future. The company’s previous productions include As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing which performed to sell-out audiences.
Wandsworth performances
Sunday 7 July The Courtyard at le Gothique, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, Wandsworth, SW18 (3pm matinee)
Tuesday 9 July The Courtyard at le Gothique, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, Wandsworth, SW18 (7pm evening)
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Schedule for Summer 2019 throughout London
All performances at 7pm unless stated
Wednesday 19 June Leinster Square, W2
Thursday 20 June St James’s Gardens, W11
Friday 21 June Norland Square, W11
Saturday 22 June Queen’s Park, NW6
Sunday 23 June Camden Square, NW1
Tuesday 25 June Arundel and Ladbroke Gardens, W11 2EP (press night – nearest tube stations are Ladbroke Grove and Holland Park)
Wednesday 26 June Paulton’s Square, SW3
Thursday 27 June St James’s Square, SW1
Friday 28 June Paddington Street, W1 (3pm matinee)
Paddington Street W1 (7pm evening)
Saturday 29 June Little Wormwood Scrubs Park, W10
Sunday 30 June Ladbroke Square, W11
Tuesday 2 July Cornwall Gardens, SW7
Wednesday 3 July Connaught Square, W2
Thursday 4 July Elgin and Arundel Gardens, W11
Friday 5 July Bedford Square, WC1 (part of the Bedford Square Festival)
Saturday 6 July St Peter’s Square, W6
Sunday 7 July The Courtyard at le Gothique, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, Wandsworth, SW18 (3pm matinee)
Tuesday 9 July The Courtyard at le Gothique, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, Wandsworth, SW18 (7pm evening)
Wednesday 10 July Formosa Gardens, W9
Thursday 11 July Cleveland Square, W2
March 26, 2019