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S4K Dream - Glasgow Herald, Edingburgh Festival Review, 15 Aug 1998 |
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15th August 1998
Children
Shakespeare 4 Kidz A Midsummer Night's Dream
Palladium
RECOMMENDED
Getting children to like Shakespeare - let alone understand what's giong on - is like getting them to eat cooked greens. So Shakespeare 4 Kidz does the clever thing. It serves up the story - dialoguerewritten, modernised, but with some trace elements of the original verse - in a way that makes it all slip down a treat.
There are cheery, tuneful songs which cunningly help establish character - especially useful in giving each Mechanical a recognisable identity. Their foolish play is woven with lots of lovely, inventive detail - it cuold puty many a higher profile production to shame - but the Dream's magic isn't made a hostage to all out comedy and clowning.
The minimal wood is truly enchanting - complete with tiny, gorgeously gauzy fairies - while Louise Ekland's Puck strikes just the right balance between tomboy and supernatural sprite.
Little wonder a smitten teacher was asking, as I left, if teh company could tour to her area.
Mary Brennan
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