S4K Dream - Croydon Advertiser, Croydon Review 27 Nov 2003

Shakespeare 4 Kidz A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon

Someone capable of putting a girdle around the earth in 40 minutes, as Puck promises to do in Act II, scene 1 of A Midsummer Night' Dream is certainly able to steal the hearts of a young audience, and Puck's (Ben Langley) pantoesque warm-up, before the curtain rose on this simplified version, could get him a part of Buttons any day, but certainly got an Ashcroft Theatre full of children eating out of his hand.


Although the tale is still told in Shakespearian language, the body language is totally modern - a fed-up Hermia sulked like a thwarted child denied sweets as she raged against her father's choice of Demetrius for her husband, rather than Lysander, whom she really fancied.

I first saw the S4Kidz version of the Dream performed by children many years ago when the company were starting out, and it was a total hit. Now adults take the roles and the production has evolved into a touring show enabling children to learn what good tales the Bard had up his sleeves.

The songs are relevant, catchy and sung in the modern idiom by a cast who can really belt them out.

Stealing the show completely, Puck combined magic tricks and audience interaction to keep young theatregoers with him. It was encouraging, on a show of hands, to note that almost all the children present last Friday had already experienced a theatre visit, and the young lads from Oakhyrst Grange in Caterham who gave me their opinions during the interval were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

They each had to write their own review as homework - as do I.

Local entrepreneurs Julian Chenery and Matt Gimblett are the S4K's masterminds determined that Shakespeare's tales should be understood and enjoyed by youngsters who will, all the more, appreciate the adult versions later in life.

Everyone enjoyed the enactment of Pyramus and Thisbe, with Mark Lyminster as Bottom the Weaver hamming it up in Frankie Howerd style so that even the cast had a problem not to corpse.

A happy ending and joyous music gave the audience an excellent theatrical experience and, from where I was sat, the teachers were smiling too.
 
Theo Spring
 

 
What they say about us:

S4K MACBETH: "One thing is certain: the children in that audience - and, of course, in all the other audiences S4K play to - will not be scared of Shakespeare or regard it with almost traditional suspicion but will have a memory of a gripping play whcih they enjoyed. And that can only be a good thing!"